Game Change
by female fogbank
Summary: 6 months after the Occupation and the Phoenix soldiers disappear into the Badlands... Life in Terra Nova is going well.. but the other shoe is about to drop... AU.. Wash/Taylor, Malcolm/OC from my previous story *Displaced*.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hello! I promise it's the longest Author's note I'll ever write in this story!_

_I'm back with many thanks to the amazing metube! Who listened to all my crazy ideas… So if you have clicked onto this story and haven't read my last story 'Displaced'... I'll just tell you the important stuff so you're not entirely lost!_

_This story set 6 months after the last episode. :-( … so many reasons I won't begin to go into with how sad and angry I am that Terra Nova didn't at least get a season 2 with Wash being alive! (Yes, I'm a believer she is alive…1. There was no blood and 2. Episode 3 where Taylor is about to slit his throat, Wash shoots him at roughly the same range and he survived and seemingly uninjured)... But moving on!_

_Taylor and Wash= In a relationship (one that has been discreet from the Colony…but soon they want to announce they are a couple and finally settle down and have many beautiful babies that will terrorize the colony in the fun way..Not like Lucas!)._

_Kate Renshaw= my OC who is a pretty understanding chick with awesome fighting and gun skills as she was a highly trained mercenary from 2016 who fell through a portal to Terra Nova now lives with Alicia in their own house. She works construction and tries to keep a low profile though the Colony loves to gossip about her. She is also in a relationship Malcolm Wallace._

_There will be humour, there will be horrible clichés (because I like them), and there'll be serious stuff and action!… I have placed on 'M' rating for wanting to cover my ass on if I have characters swear or get a little too rude or dark for 'T'… don't want my story being deleted!_

_All grammar, missing words and any mistakes are my own and if anyone can recommend a Beta who does Terra Nova fanfics would be greatly appreciated!_

_Also I LOVE reviews! But like anyone else I don't like being flamed… if you don't like my story I would appreciate it if you please just keep it to yourself and move onto another story :-)…_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing! But if I had a billion dollars I'd invest in property, buy a new pair of boots and a season 2 of Terra Nova, another firefly movie and a time machine (not all in that order)…but alas I have not won the lotto yet! So I own nothing!_

_And that's it!...Please enjoy the story!_

* * *

Alicia felt a trickle of sweat glide down her back as she sat in her chair with rigid posture and straight back. . It was beautiful moderately warm summer morning so she knew the sweat was not from the heat as the temps were still in the low thirties but from the exertion she was trying to keep from upending her breakfast on the table. She was vainly trying to calm the nausea rolling in her. _Just keep it contained Wash…we have to be finished soon... Just hang in there. _Alicia told herself as she sat at the conference table in the Command Centre. It felt like the longest morning meeting of her life even though it had only been 15 minutes

"So, other than that everything is running smoothly" Guzman said as he finished his report about soldier activity and morale. Alicia stared at black mark in the wood of the table trying her best not to think about her breakfast. She had been feeling queasy for the last four days but then she had been sharing a house with Kate Renshaw who had caught the stomach flu from Zoe Shannon. She had hoped the queasy feeling was due to living through Kate being ill.

Kate and Zoe had bounced back from a few days of being ill and was a picture of perfect health while others were still suffering like Jim and his family and now her. She had hoped she missed out on the fun but the last 24 hours had not been her best. She hadn't felt this nauseous since her dad made her get drunk as punishment for trying to steal his beer at the sweet age of 16. It probably didn't help she looked after Kate when she was ill, just thinking about the gurgling and humanly impossible swirling noises that Kate had made when bringing up her food.. _Oh don't go there_ Alicia thought as she could hear the noises in her head and it did not help her disposition.

"Wash?" Taylor asked, Alicia snapped her attention up to see Guzman, Taylor and Jim who was looking pretty pale himself looking at her. Poor Shannons had all fallen ill to the same bug that was making the rounds of the Colony. One bathroom five sick people, they should have taken Kate's offer of building an extension on their place with an extra room and toilet.

"Sir?" Alicia asked swallowing her nausea and returning her attention to the meeting. Hadn't meant to drift off into thought but it was taking a lot of effort to not throw up.

"I asked if we can rework the roster and give Barry more bodies to finish up the construction secondary research labs" Taylor said prompting her, she could see the concern in his eyes while he maintained a professional manner. It was coming up to their 6 month mark where they would announce they were officially a couple. But there were still a lot of things that needed to be taken care of first.

They had lost track of the Phoenix soldiers in the Badlands which did not bode well. There was also the fact that Alicia wanted to step down from being Taylor's Second in Command to show she was given no favouritism but also because she wanted to lighten her workload and focus on a better work life balance. Taylor didn't want her stepping down out of propriety, as far he was concerned Alicia deserved her position she worked hard and earned her place as his XO and there was no reason for her to step down. But he gave in when she explained her reasons that if… well, when she was pregnant she would prefer to have a balance in their life before the child arrived and it wasn't like the Colony's command chain couldn't do with some restructuring for the future especially now that the portal was gone. They had to start making their own rules and protocols to adapt to their situation.

"I-" Alicia started but stopped as she felt the bile rise in her throat.

"Wash you're looking a little green. You ok?" Jim asked trying use humour to make himself feel better. She held up a hand and nodded taking a moment. She looked to Taylor.

"It can be done Sir, you'll have the roster on your plex by the end of the day" Alicia finished.

"Ok. If there isn't anything else I think we can call it" Taylor said as he looked between Jim and Alicia. The two looked ready to be sick and he'd prefer if Jim at least took himself home. He just hoped this stomach bug didn't go any further than the Shannons and the two other families who were stricken by it. He didn't need soldiers getting sick. But looking at Alicia he knew it was too late for her. He was sure after looking after Kate and not falling ill she would be fine but apparently he was wrong.

"I'm ready to call it quits" Jim said. Guzman nodded he agreement as did Alicia.

"Ok, dismissed" Taylor said. Guzman and Jim left the room leaving Alicia who hadn't moved she was looked entirely focussed on trying not to throw up.

"Wash?" Taylor asked in a concerned and slightly amused tone. He could see it was by sheer will that she was not being sick right now.

"I need a minute" Alicia said as she took a slow fortifying breath.

"Want me to get a bucket?" he asked. Alicia glowered at him, he smiled as held his hands up in surrender. They sat in silence for a few seconds before Taylor spoke again.

"I assume Kate is well" Taylor said making conversation to distract Alicia and because he hadn't seen Kate for a week as she had been under quarantine by Alicia.

"Yeah she's a picture of perfect health. Elisabeth thinks her immune system is better equipped than ours" Alicia said referring to people from 2149.

"Well ain't that a laugh, the woman from 21st century can kick a stomach bug in a couple days while you and the others look to be laid up for at least a week or more." Taylor mused.

"Yeah hilarious, she probably ate a lot of dirt and licked unsanitary surfaces as a child to build it up" Alicia said dryly. Taylor chuckled at the comment.

"Would you like me to walk you home?" he asked.

"No, you shouldn't be near me or touch me until I'm better. Last thing we need is you getting sick" Alicia said standing up. "Remember to disinfect the tables and chairs" she told him as she slowly stood up.

"Yes Ma'am" Taylor said with an amused smile.

"Ok I have to go" Alicia said growing even more pale before Taylor could say another word Alicia left the room at a fast pace.

* * *

Taylor sat down at his desk got to work on signing reports and approving projects and all the paper work that went with running the colony. He hadn't realised an hour had passed until Kate knocked at the door grabbing his attention. She was just as Alicia said a picture of perfect health. Well close to it, she looked slightly fatigued but it was something Kate had been dealing with for a few months now.

"Permission to enter Sir" Kate said snapping to attention like a good soldier even if she was a civilian.

"Granted" Taylor said waving her in. Kate dropped her soldier act and pulled a heavy shopping bag around from outside into the room beside the door before she moved to the guest chair taking a seat.

"How are you going?" Kate asked as she settled in the chair. Taylor turned off the plex screen and laid it down on the desk so he could give Kate his full attention.

"I'm well, a little busy but I have time for you. How are you?" Taylor asked as he welcomed the break from paperwork.

"Healthy as an ox" Kate said before smiling.

"So then what do I owe the unexpected pleasure?" he asked.

"Well as you already know Alicia is under the weather. She asked me to stop by to get some work for her to do" Kate drawled carefully as if she already knew the answer.

"Tell her 'No', I want her to get better" Taylor said. He knew Alicia would be out of action for at least 6 days if not more and she would refuse to see him until she was well again. He remembered the last time she had a cold she refused to let him within 5 feet of her. It had been an interesting time but not one he wanted to repeat.

"She needs the distraction from heaving her guts. Can't you just find some mundane paperwork that doesn't require any brain power that she can sign to her little heart's content. Please?" Kate begged with a hopeful smile, Taylor eyed Kate for a moment and relented knowing Alicia would probably drive Kate insane if she didn't have some kind of occupation while sick.

"Alright, let me get something together" Taylor said, he pulled out a spare plex and started compiling some work for Alicia. "How did the physicals go with Doc Shannon?" he asked.

"I'm showing improvements, still have some internal scarring that won't go away and I have to pack on some weight other than that Elisabeth is impressed she says to keep pacing myself and keep an eye on the fatigue. Pretty much all good news" Kate said with a smile.

"And Malcolm?" Taylor asked as he couldn't help himself. Kate brought out his paternal side and he wanted to know everything that was going on in her world and if Malcolm was still treating her right.

"He's over the stomach flu, he's probably annoying Baz about the new research labs. I probably won't see him for a while now Alicia is sick" Kate said with a chuckle. It wasn't a secret Malcolm wasn't a fan of being sick or sick people it was one of the reasons he was a PhD. not a M.D.

"Probably not a bad idea for you either" Taylor said. Kate waved a dismissive hand at him.

"I'll be fine, if I was going relapse it would have happened already. Cheers" Kate said as he handed her the plex.

"You're welcome anything else I can do for you?" Taylor asked.

"Nope, that's it!" Kate said standing up.

"Ok, I'll see you in 48 hours" Taylor told her.

"I don't think so. Alicia has the house on lockdown until further notice." Kate told him.

"Really?" Taylor asked incredulously.

"Yeah, No one in or out expect yours truly" Kate pointed to herself before continuing "until Alicia is better or when she gets fed up with me. So don't worry, Baz gave me the week off as soon as he heard Alicia was sick. I'll take care of her" Kate said.

"I'll come by in 48 hours" Taylor said. Kate gave him an exhausted look and nodded. Kate knew how stubborn and persistence both Alicia and Taylor could be when they both wanted their way.

"Ok but just a warning. I've been given permission to use excessive force to remove any intruders from the house. Sick person with medical degree trumps Mayor of Colony" Kate told him.

"I look forward to it" Taylor said with a smug look. He knew he could take Kate.

"Ok, don't forget to disinfect" Kate sang as she stood up and gestured to the room. Taylor laughed as he knew that was Alicia's orders not hers.

"I won't" Taylor replied.

"Ok I'm off, see you around Commander" Kate said she picked up her bag and left the room.

* * *

Six days later,

Alicia was laid in her bed with her knees up and eyes closed as she tried to relax, not think about food even though her stomach was protesting that she should eat. She couldn't see the point anymore. She'd eat and then it would make a return trip, just a waste of resources. At least most of the liquids she consumed stayed down. But thinking about them made her feel ill. She heard the door open and Kate call out.

"Hey I'm back! you miss me?" Kate called.

"Oh yeah I missed you so much. I was counting down the minutes til you returned" Alicia said sarcastically from the bed not moving, she had left her bedroom door open so she had a clear path to the bathroom. It also gave her a view of the dining room and Kitchen where Kate was.

"Don't be mean. You want some tea or ginger ale?" Kate asked from the kitchen. Alicia watched as Kate unpacked a shopping back stowing food and other items away.

"Yes" Alicia said, a few minutes later Kate walked into the room and placed the drinks on Alicia's bedside table along with a plate with biscuits on it. It had been her staple since getting sick and was thankful for Kate who had been taking care of her.

She had to admit Kate was an amazing friend, she followed orders Alicia gave her to the letter from cleaning the house heavily with disinfectant to when she asked that no one be let in the house. Kate made sure no one came in and if they did, they didn't stay long. Alicia had to laugh as Taylor tried multiple attempts to sneak in each and every time Kate caught him and politely asked him to leave with an added 'nice try'. It was fast becoming a game between the two of them until Alicia complained about them disturbing her rest and her sanity. Taylor was always stubborn something the three of them shared in spades but he always respected Alicia's wishes.

"Well we now have enough tea, ginger ale and those weird biscuits you are so fond of to last us about 3 months but knowing you it will last a week" Kate said with a smile. Alicia nodded before she groaned as Kate laid down on the empty side of her double bed.

"You know you'll end up sick again" Alicia told her.

"I highly doubt I can catch what you got" Kate said with a chuckle and she rolled to her side and propped her head up on her elbow and looked down at Alicia.

"I don't think it's funny. Is there something in particular you wanted to say?" Alicia asked as she felt Kate watching her.

"Yeah" Kate said.

"I'm all ears" Alicia said.

"And bad breath" Kate commented, Alicia smacked her in the arm and Kate chuckled.

"What is it?" Alicia asked as she knew her breath was fine as she brushed her teeth after the last visit to the bathroom.

"I've been thinking that the stomach flu is only contagious for 48 hours and you only looked after me for three days. You didn't get ill and then five days later you are puking your guts up and 6 days now still going strong" Kate drawled liked Alicia was supposed to be able connect the dots in crazy bird's nest that was Kate's mind.

"There is a gestational period between catching the bug and before showing symptoms" Alicia said.

"I think you're pregnant." Kate said with about as much tact as a nuclear bomb.

"Its stomach flu, in two more days I'll be fine" Alicia said adamantly, she had to admit the thought definitely crossed her mind that she could be pregnant as she wasn't showing any other symptoms of stomach flu like Kate had. Sure she had a bit of a temperature, throwing up and bad nausea.

But she couldn't be pregnant. Sure she had her implant removed two months ago. It hadn't been planned but she had walked into the infirmary one day to actually find only the staff there and no patients. It was a rarity for it to happen. So she thought it was better take the opportunity with no witnesses around than wait the two months and end up with people asking questions. She also knew it would take her body a while to adjust and that the possibility for pregnancy was incredibly low for the first few months and it wasn't like she and Taylor weren't taking other precautions.

Alicia groaned as Kate moved on the bed to sit up and tucked her knees under her. Kate waited for Alicia to open her eyes as it was a sign the nausea and imminent threat of throwing up had passed. When Alicia opened her eyes she looked at Kate who spoke.

"I may not have a fancy medical degree from 2149. But my Nanna told me that when a man and woman really love one another they have a 'special' hug that they like to use to express their love-" Kate stopped Alicia glared at her and she also couldn't keep a straight face. "Ok fine I'll be serious, you missed your last period and now you're puking your guts up nonstop." Kate stated.

"How do you know I missed my last period?" Alicia asked her incredulously.

"We live together, I'm very observant and you have schedules for everything. Also you're a bit of bitch when you're pmsing . You know yoga would really help you mellow out" Kate told her. Alicia narrowed her eyes at Kate who smiled unapologetically as she grabbed Alicia by the arm and pulled it.

"So am I going to have a little baby brother or sister to play with or what?" Kate asked like an excited child asking for if she would be getting the pony she'd been begging for the last three Christmases'. She even pulled on Alicia's arm waiting for an answer.

"Oh stop pulling on my arm and moving" Alicia groaned protesting at the movement. "You're only making me want to vomit and I'll aim at you"

"Go ahead, I can't wait to collect my twenty terras from Jim" Kate said her eyes getting wide with further excitement as she released Alicia's arm.

"What? No you won't because I'm not pregnant" Alicia told her sternly.

"Come on I bet twenty terras that you'd have kids before me and I won" Kate said smugly.

"Why and how did you two even come up with such a bet?"

"Because there is a rumour currently going round that the reason Malcolm is spending so much time in the labs instead of with me due to me being pregnant with his illegitimate child that he doesn't want and feels I'm trying to trap him into marriage when I'm just a good tumble between the sheets. It just reeks of Dr Haynes and her snootiness. I just want to Bitch slap her. Why can't I bitch slap her?" Kate asked Alicia.

Alicia chuckled and shook her head, feeling empathy for Kate. Outpost 9 had been shut down and its projects and scientist had returned to the colony two days ago. Malcolm as Head of the Science department of course had to oversee the transfer of all the equipment and make space for the scientists and their research. It was taking a lot of time which Kate wasn't annoyed at as she was on nurse duty. But what did annoy Kate was Dr Haynes the woman was actively trying to monopolise Malcolm's time with her 'discoveries' flora and fauna from her time in the 'wild'. There was also the fact that Dr Haynes was a condescending, arrogant woman who sneered down her nose anyone she deemed 'below her station'.

Alicia, Kate and Jim were of course below Dr Haynes station while Malcolm, Taylor and Elisabeth walked on water in Haynes's opinion. So Alicia knew her pain and desire to slap the woman herself.

"Because we use our powers for good not evil" Alicia said. Kate made a face before sighing.

"Fine, anyways where was I? ah yes Jim came up and congratulated me on the rumour of my pregnancy and we joked about it for a bit before he asked the question of when rumours would become realities and I told him you were more likely to get pregnant before me. He asked if I was prepared to put my money where my mouth is" Kate finished. Alicia knew the story was probably a lot longer than that but appreciated the shortened version. Kate shifted on the bed again with a huff.

"Well you're wrong about me having kids first. I have stomach flu" Alicia told her. She felt her stomach roll which meant she was definitely going to vomit if Kate didn't stop moving around.

"I'm not and I will collect when you start to show! So let's see if I remember correctly morning sickness which is a common misconception because apparently you're sick at anytime in the day… starts in week 3 or 4? Or was it 5?" Kate said as she racked her brain. Alicia looked at her shocked that Kate would know anything about pregnancy. "Anyway which means I only have to wait another 8 weeks or so before I can hit Jim up for my money… unless you're having twins and then maybe you'll show sooner. Do you or Taylor have family history of twins?" Kate asked with an excited gleam. Alicia felt slightly uncomfortable with how Kate was looking at her like she was a prized horse about to win a race.

She already knew the chances of conceiving twins were 50/50. Considering Taylor had a fraternal twin brother it was possible but then Ayani and Taylor only had one child. She would be happy with just a happy and healthy child. Though she had to admit twins would be utter chaos. She shook the thoughts from her head and looked at Kate.

"How do you know any of this stuff about pregnancy? Something you aren't telling me?" Alicia asked ignoring the twin question.

"Well, I did have niece and two nephews who were twins in 2016. My brother's wife and I used to have tea and she'd tell me all about her pregnancy woes. I even read that 'What to expect, when you're expecting' book and gave my brother cold notes. This was all before I left for first tour as a combat engineer" Kate said with a sigh.

Alicia saw the sadness in Kate's expression as she knew Kate missed her family even if they were never on the best of terms. She missed the good times. Alicia could relate she missed her parents and the times they shared but Alicia felt it was easier for her as her parents were deceased and had been for over 10 years before she came to Terra Nova.

"Well I'm not pregnant and you're disturbing me with all this talk of pregnancy. So could you lie down, stop moving and shut up before you make me throw up" Alicia ordered her. Kate laid down and did as she was ordered. Alicia closed her eyes and exhaled slowly as the nausea slightly subsided.

They laid in companionable silence for about 15 minutes. Alicia knew Kate was meditating by the relaxed and measured breathes she took. Alicia was jealous of her peaceful demeanour as she laid there feeling sick with nausea and now ever present nagging thoughts of what if she was pregnant. The medical part of her brain ran down the possibilities of her being pregnant only for her female side to kick in and melt at the thought with happiness. She always wanted a family, kids, the house etc. but like many people in 2149 she had written it off until she came to Terra Nova. That dream felt so close to a reality now. Sure it wasn't the perfect time for kids but as Taylor said to her previously 'there was never a right time'. But she had to be logical and rational there was no point in thinking about Taylor playing with a beautiful baby with his coloured eyes until she found out for sure. She also knew she wouldn't be able to relax now thanks to Kate and her assumptions swimming in her head either. So she rolled onto her side and stared at Kate. She knew Kate didn't like being watched, it was something that unnerved her and made her 'spidey senses' tingle. Something Jim teased Kate about endlessly just as Kate told Jim to take an antacid if he ever got a gut feeling. The two were like really like siblings. Alicia stared at Kate and within seconds it worked.

"Why are you staring at me?" Kate asked with her eyes still closed. Alicia smiled as she saw Kate's slight discomfort at her staring.

"Thanks to you, I now can't stop thinking about being pregnant and I have to know. I need you to go to the infirmary. Now" Alicia said, knowing she could trust Kate to be completely discreet. Last thing she needed was for the Colony to find out she had a pregnancy scare.

"Ok, anything else?" Kate asked as she got up.

"Yeah this whole pregnancy thing is in the Vault." Alicia told her.

"Mum's the word" Kate said with a smile as she made the motions of zipping her lips and throwing away the key. She turned away missing Alicia's dark look as she skipped to the door.

* * *

It was late at night the same day in a house 10 doors down from Kate and Alicia's. The man set his glass of water on the coffee table and tapped his plex activating the video feeds for Alicia and Kate's house. He smiled as he watched the two women in Alicia's bed.

"You understand right? I know it's asking a lot but could you please-" Alicia said. He leaned forward and wondered what they were talking about.

"I said yes and I know it's in the vault. Just know that it can't stay in the vault for long." Kate said with a sleepy voice.

"I know and thanks for helping me and everything you're going to do" Alicia said before yawning.

"Always, now it's time to rest. Kate needs her beauty sleep" Kate said.

"Not enough hours in the night to save you" Alicia told her and the two cracked up into fits of giggles.

"What are you two hiding in the vault?" he murmured as he stroked his fingers lightly over the screen. The two women had calmed down from their laughter and looked to have fallen asleep. There was a new development and here he thought he had all the intelligence he needed even with the communication device that Kate carried that interrupted the feed. He had learned that the 'vault' was their way of talking about secrets. He had thought that there actually had been a physical vault but after a few months he learned otherwise. He just wished that his plex had the memory capacity to record 24 hr feed then he could have reviewed the day's footage to see what they were talking about. Whatever it was he would find out later and simply adjust the plan.

The plans that had taken months of preparation and many late night trips to the badlands to work with the Phoenix Soldiers to get to where they were now. They were finally ready to commence their operations. They knew Terra Nova and their movements, their security, their weaknesses. Their targets were studied and their movements memorised, the locations they would take their targets when they were captured were ready to go. Now they were just waiting for the right moment.

He wished he could have her now. Taste her skin, smell the soft scent of her, the feel and the warmth of her supple body. Oh how he was craving her, had craved her for years, he knew the long wait would be worth it.

"Only 10 more days" he murmured counting down the time.

He was broken from his reverie when he heard a knock at the backdoor of his house and quickly turned off the plex. He moved to the door knowing the only person who used that door was Hooper. He opened and waved the Major in.

"You're early" he said.

"We have a situation" Hooper said, the soldier was looking a little worse for wear as he had a split lip and black eye.

"What kind of situation?" He asked.

"The sixers have turned on us. I think the mission is compromised" Hooper said.

"Did you kill them all?" He asked he sincerely hoped the phoenix soldiers hadn't. He still needed all the players for his plan to work.

"Only 20 of them, we subdued the rest as per your orders but Carter is missing. I have men searching for him but so far he has evaded capture. How did you know they would turn on us after Lucas disappeared?" Hooper asked. The man smiled he had taken great pleasure making the young man disappear. Lucas had served his purpose and the man kept a trophy to remember the young man by.

"I didn't, I just plan for all contingencies. Tell me is Mira still alive?" He asked.

"Yes" Hooper said. The man gave the major a serene smile.

"Good, I like her spirit" he said.

"Shouldn't we kill them and get on with business? I feel they are a liability" Hooper said.

"Trust me, we need them for when we walk back through that portal to 2149 with those criminals. You'll be heralded a hero. Not only will you have reconnected the portal. You will have saved Terra Nova from the Sixers you brought them back to the future so they could be prosecuted properly for their crimes. Something not even Commander Taylor could do before his soon to be demise" He said to Hooper, he smiled and patted Major Hooper on the shoulder as Hooper ate his lies up and looked happy at the prospect of being a hero. The man didn't know where Weaver found these soldiers but he was glad he picked soldiers with more brawn than brains. They were so easy to manipulate and use for his purposes.

"Ok, what about the mission?" Hooper asked.

"We will simply have to move up our schedule to 5 days from now" he said. He loathed to but he knew the sixers were devious. Carter may survive but he was on foot there was no way he'd be able to make it to Terra Nova in time to make any difference. He didn't need Carter or anyone else for that matter to get between him and the woman he had waited years to be with.

* * *

3 days later, Carter stood on top of the mountain where Taylor had taken him one time. The old man had brought him up here to try and straighten him out after he had started a brawl in Boylan's bar. Taylor believed that if he could reach out and show that he understood Carter and 'saw' him. That Carter would want to change and channel the anger he had in him and use it for more productive activities than getting drunk and picking fights.

He tried to swindle him with the speech of Terra Nova being a second chance to make something better for himself. If Taylor could get Carter looked down at the Colony from the mountain then he would understand the concept of being a part of something bigger.

He completely understood the concepts that Taylor was spouting, he had been a soldier once and he wished he could believe what Taylor did. But he knew better since his ticket to paradise was paid for by the Phoenix Group Employers. The mission was to overthrow Taylor's Command and take control of the Colony before the main army came in and finished up the job and got started strip mining Terra Nova.

He should have been back in 2149 by now. He should have been a free man with a new identity and a nice penthouse in a dome. Sadly the reality was lacking and with Lucas's disappearance he was stuck like every other sixer. It wasn't all bad, if they could convince Malcolm to continue Lucas's work and fix the Terminus they might be able to go home but that was Mira's dream not his.

He was pretty sure his pay check and new identity in 2149 were gone he figured he was better off living his days out in Terra Nova. So he would save Mira and her dream he owed her that much for the times she saved his ass..

He knew the only way to save Mira and her dream was to save the woman from 2016. She was the key, she spoke his language and he knew if he could talk to her then they could make a deal where everyone got what they wanted. He just hoped he could get to her before the Phoenix soldiers did.

* * *

TBC~


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: HUGE Thanks to MissCallaLilly, Zoe6, metube, Smurf5, and Anonymous Terra Nova fan for your wonderful reviews! Just a quick note…to terra nova fan: the Lucas thing you brought up.. I can't change this story...but you have officially inspired my next story after this one. I was looking for a good excuse to do another time traveller fic with a new character! Please all enjoy the update :-)_

* * *

"Now I have brought you prenatal vitamins, also some more meds for the nausea so if the morning sickness is unbearable again then take it. Also no alcohol, no construction work that involves toxic substances, fumes or materials" Elisabeth said after she ran through with Kate everything else she needed to know about prenatal care.

Kate felt lightheaded from conversation and she wasn't even pregnant. Sure she read a book once and talked to someone who was pregnant but when all the information was given to you as the person who was pregnant? well it was a little overwhelming. Kate looked in one of the bottles at the tiny tablets inside.

"Ok, work less and lots of fresh air" Kate said as she screwed the lid back on the bottle. She made a mental note to pass on all this information to Alicia over lunch. She could also understand why Alicia wanted to keep it a secret for a few days than make a Colony wide announcement.

"Yes and you need to increase your iron intake. I remember your last scan that your iron levels were a little low. Something we'll need to keep an eye on. I really wish you would let me take a new scan" Elisabeth said as she placed the pill containers on the dining table.

"If I go to the infirmary and get a scan then everyone will know and I want to tell Malcolm first" Kate said. She felt horrible for lying to Elisabeth but it was with good intentions. _Elisabeth would forgive me… probably after she tortures me with a few big needles... _Kate thought begrudgingly.

Alicia just wanted a couple weeks for her reasons and Kate agreed to be her for want of a better name 'Pregnancy beard' until then. If anyone found out that someone in their house was pregnant. Kate was happy to take the fall from grace. It wasn't like she had far to fall anyway and the Colony thought she was already pregnant. Thanks to a stupid rumour. The only difference was Elisabeth believed Kate was, as Kate had asked for the at home pregnancy test and when Elisabeth asked if it was positive. Kate answered 'yes' she just left out the part where she wasn't the one who took it.

"Have you told Malcolm?" Elisabeth asked. Kate gave an awkward smile and shook her head.

"Not yet, I was thinking about surprising him next week. Just in time for our anniversary I can't think of a better time to drop such a bomb" Kate said casually trying to downplay it all.

"I'd pay to see his face when you tell him" Elisabeth said with excitement.

"Yeah I can't wait for that conversation either" Kate said weakly as she ran a hand through her long red locks. She really hoped she didn't have to have that conversation for a while. Her nervousness at the idea must have shown as Elisabeth grasped her hand that was on the table in a comforting manner.

"Don't worry everything will be fine. First time I was pregnant and found out, I was happy but I was a complete mess but when I told Jim everything was perfect" Elisabeth said.

"So how did you tell him?"

"Well I had very bad nausea and it's so embarrassing" Elisabeth said cringing. Kate looked at her waiting for her to continue. "I couldn't sleep one night as I just had to tell him. So I woke him up and I said I had to tell him something important and he asked me what it was and I opened my mouth to tell him and instead of words…" Elisabeth drawled not able to finish but Kate guessed from the hand gestures Elisabeth used.

"Oh did you throw up on him?" Kate asked wincing as she tried not to laugh. Elisabeth nodded.

"Yes, it was horrible and disgusting! I didn't know I was going to throw up. It just happened!" Elisabeth said horrified but also amused while shaking her head at the memory.

"Not the magical moment you were hoping for?" Kate asked before laughing. Elisabeth joined in her laughter because it was funny now that there was some distance between the memory and present day.

"No, not even close. He was horrified and I apologised profusely and told him that I was pregnant and not sick" Elisabeth said. Kate chuckled as she could just see Jim's reaction.

"Well at least it's memorable and disgusting" Kate said honestly.

"Yes, I don't recommend you tell him the way I told Jim" Elisabeth said.

"I don't know I think that might be a great way to tell Malcolm" Kate said thoughtfully before she chuckled and scrunched her nose in disgust at the thought. Elisabeth laughed shaking her head at Kate. "So what about Maddy and Zoe? Did you use the same method of communication?" Kate asked.

"No, I didn't have any nausea with Maddy and Zoe only a little but otherwise they were a walk in the park compared to Josh but every pregnancy is different and every baby is different. Have you and Malcolm talked about children and how many you want?" Elisabeth asked.

"Not really, I mean we briefly discussed it once upon a time. I know he wants kids but I think when he said it he meant like maybe a couple years down the track" Kate said honestly.

"Well too late for that one. What about you?" Elisabeth asked.

"Three kids but I'm happy to wait, I got time" Kate said with a shrug.

"Well in 9 months or less you will have one down at least" Elisabeth said with a smile.

"Yeah that's insane" Kate said nodding.

"Well I should leave you as I have to start my shift" Elisabeth said.

"Right, thank you for all this and stopping by" Kate said.

"You're welcome and if you need anything at all or just to talk I'm here ok?" Elisabeth said as she and Kate stood up from the table.

"Thank you. You don't know how much I appreciate this" Kate said as she opened the door for her. Elisabeth hugged her goodbye and left. Kate closed the door and exhaled slowly before she moved to the table and picked up the prenatal vitamins and the iron supplements and placed them in the back of one of the kitchen cabinets out of the sight.

* * *

"Wash, you sure you're over that bug?" Taylor asked he sat down behind his desk. Alicia welcomed a chance to sit down as she had been running around the colony for the better half of the morning.

"Yes Sir, why do you ask?" Alicia asked. She couldn't stop looking at him and blamed the anti nausea drugs for her wayward mind as little fantasies flickered through her mind like him holding their child for the first time, she could just see the smile he would wear as baby would grasp his finger with its tiny hand. She really needed to control such thoughts, it wasn't productive.

"You're still looking pale and to be honest you've been eyeballing me oddly the past day" Taylor said, Alicia blinked suddenly nervous. She didn't need his mind connecting any dots prematurely. She wanted to tell him she was pregnant but held her tongue. She knew all the risks and facts of pregnancy in women over the age of 30.

But as much as she just wanted a couple of more weeks to adjust to the situation the more she just wanted to tell him. The conflicting desires were not helping her mental state. She had wanted a couple of weeks so she could put their plans into effect before she told him. She knew as soon as she told him, he take her off duty immediately and drag her ass to the Infirmary before she could finish saying the word 'pregnant'. But then she wanted to share the news with him now and deal with his inevitable overbearing and stubborn attitude of taking care of her.

"I have? I didn't mean to. I guess I just missed seeing your ugly mug everyday sir" Alicia joked with a smile.

"Mug? You're spending too much time with Kate" Taylor admonished her. Alicia chuckled and then they fell into a companionable silence. He looked over the request forms Alicia had handed him all the while Alicia waited for his approval or to make correction. Alicia pulled out her comm. unit and looked at the time noting it had been about 5 hours since her last anti nausea tablet. She put the comm. unit away and went back to watching Taylor.

"Everything looks fine. I approve of the redistribution of manpower" Taylor said as he signed off on the plex.

"Baz and Kate will be happy" Alicia said.

"She ok? I passed Doc Shannon this morning on her way to your house. Don't tell me the rumour is true?" Taylor asked.

"Which rumour?" Alicia asked innocently.

"That she's pregnant and Malcolm is avoiding her" Taylor said, Alicia laughed and shook her head.

"Trust me she is not pregnant. If Kate was she'd tell me, she's just having one of those days. I was going to check on her at lunch" Alicia said lying through her teeth but Taylor nodded accepting the lie as they had seen Kate on 'one of those day' when she was too tired to even lift her head from breakfast table to eat.

Luckily 'one of those days' were few and far between now Kate had learned to cut down her energy expenditure it took a lot of arm twisting to get Kate to cut down her work hours and her amount of exercise but she eventually caved in.

"Well it's quiet around here. Why don't you take the rest of the day off and get some rest. Send my regards to Kate" Taylor said. Alicia wasn't going argue about some time off and stood up to leave. She looked to Taylor.

"You can join us for lunch if you want?" Alicia offered, Taylor smiled at the offer and shook his head.

"I'll eat in the mess but if dinner is an option I'd be happy drop by" Taylor said it sounded more like a question than a statement as he was wondering if the 'no visitors' ban was lifted.

"We're having stir fry, come by whenever you're finished" Alicia said and with that she left the Command Centre.

* * *

He made himself lunch and sat down on the couch turning on his plex and activating the live feed for Alicia and Kate's place.

"…So all that's everything she told me" Kate said to Alicia, he looked at the feed wondering what was in the medical containers on the kitchen bench as he took a bite of his meal.

"I bought you a week but if Malcolm goes OTG next Monday like he was telling me over breakfast. Then we have three weeks, will that be enough time?" Kate asked Alicia.

"Thanks but I don't think I can keep it a secret from Taylor as long as I thought. I have to tell him, tonight… or maybe tomorrow night" Alicia said indecisively as she picked up the containers and put them away in a cupboard. Kate moved to set the dining table and continued talking while Alicia started preparing lunch.

"Well I say the sooner the better! I want to celebrate and we need to talk seriously about the extensions for Taylor's house for when you move in with him." Kate said.

"It's not necessary"

"A bath and second toilet are definitely necessary! It's my wedding gift for if or whenever you get hitched" Kate said.

The man chuckled those extensions were never going to happen. In less than 24 hours she would be in his world and under his control for his pleasure. The thrill of anticipation drummed in him as everything was in place and ready to go.

He continued to eat his lunch while he watched Kate and Alicia talking as they went about making lunch, their last few hours together.

* * *

"Are you pregnant?" Taylor asked Kate. He had finished up early in the office and was now sharing afternoon tea with Alicia and Kate.

Kate and Alicia both choked on their tea as Taylor hadn't been looking directly at Kate when he asked the question.

"Sorry?" Kate asked first after she cleared her throat.

"I heard a rumour" Taylor said, he looked to Alicia wondering why she had choked on her tea. She was in her civilian clothing with her hair out looking relaxed. He loved it when she had her hair down.

"You should know better than to listen to a rumour" Kate said who was already dressed up and passing time catching up with them before she left to have dinner with Malcolm. Malcolm had been wrapped up in his work since Outpost 10 closed down and their research moved back to the Colony. So as an apology for forgetting they were going to have dinner that night and standing her up for the first time in their 6 month relationship.

Kate didn't need an apology as she understood Malcolm would get caught up in his work and forget a dinner here and there. It had already happened a couple of times. She got annoyed sure but Malcolm always made up for it even though it was necessary. She just wanted to see him and since it had been over a week since she had spent any quality time with him she was looking forward to the night. She was even wearing her green dress.

"Just thought I'd check as Elisabeth said she was dropping by with vitamins" Taylor said, he couldn't help but feel the two were keeping a secret from him. He didn't like secrets or surprises and they both knew this.

"Yeah to help me with my fatigue" Kate said, now he knew Kate was lying as Elisabeth hadn't mentioned anything about vitamins only that she had been dropping by for tea.

"What kind of vitamins?" Taylor asked seeing how well versed Kate had her cover story. It made him curious as to what she was really covering up.

"What's with the twenty questions?" Alicia asked him. Kate and Alicia exchanged looks.

"Just curious" Taylor said with a casual shrug.

"Calcium and Iron supplements along with Alpha lipoic acid to fight free radicals" Kate answered with a shrug before she took a sip of her tea. "Would you like to see them?" Kate asked with an amused smile.

"No, it's fine. I just wanted to make sure everything is alright" Taylor said.

"Yeah definitely you know one bad day for every 5 good ones. I'm taking it easy tonight just a quiet dinner with Malcolm and tomorrow is a half day. I just have tick a bunch of boxes and make sure windows, cupboards and doors open and close etc." Kate said.

"Good. You work too hard" Taylor told her, Kate made a derisive noise.

"Yeah right, a 25 hour week is so tiring for a delicate flower like me" Kate scoffed rolling her eyes.

"So how is everything going with Malcolm?" Taylor asked changing topics.

"Busy, were supposed to have dinner the night before last but he got caught up with the Outpost 10's collection of 'discoveries'. So he's making up for it tonight. Speaking of which I should go" Kate said as she drained her cup of tea.

"Well if Malcolm is stands you up tonight we got plenty of dinner" Alicia told Kate.

"Thanks but I don't think he'll be standing me up. When I saw him yesterday he looked like he was ready for a break. But who can blame him, working with Dr Haynes would make me want to call in sick" Kate said.

"Let's not get started on Dr Haynes" Alicia said, she had to put up the woman and her complaints about the housing. She had been placed into a new house as her old place had been bombed in the occupation. The new house didn't have a bath.

It had a shower and apparently the woman could not live without a bath. She even had the nerve to say that someone like Alicia who had been in the military all her life and was used to living and chose an impoverished lifestyle would never understand the necessity of a bath tub was. How this woman survived at Outpost 10 without someone feeding her to a carno stumped Alicia. It was probably lucky for Dr Haynes that Alicia had never been stationed at Outpost 10 with her. She would definitely strung the woman up as a carno snack.

So Alicia told her calmly that having a house was a luxury and if the house was unacceptable then she could live in a tent as those were her only two options. Alicia didn't wait for her to complain further instead she walked away. There were soldiers still sleeping in tents and half constructed houses because one of the barracks had been destroyed. Taylor's place still didn't have windows and they did not complain. Even though they had every right to be mutinous as the civilians were prioritized before them.

"Agreed" Kate said Taylor kept his mouth shut as he knew why the women had their mutual hate for Dr Haynes. "Ok, I'm out of here and you kids have fun" Kate told them with a wink. She pulled on a jacket and pocketed her baton and left the house.

* * *

To say Kate was angry was an understatement, she was livid. She had waited 20 minutes for him at his place before letting herself in and finding his house empty. At least the dinner was in oven but there was no Malcolm. So she tried calling him on the comm. and after the third call Dr Haynes picked up. The woman had the nerve to tell her Malcolm was busy with work and turned off his comm. unit before Kate could reply.

Kate knew she should have gone home but she was hoping that if Alicia and Taylor had some alone time then Alicia was going to tell the man that she was pregnant. Kate knew if this happened then the two would definitely need the house to themselves to celebrate. So in her starving state Kate decided she'd go and find out what Malcolm was up to and how long he would be in a calm and understanding fashion.

Kate pulled the door open to the Research labs and when she stepped inside she was greeted by Dr Haynes shouting at her to close the door. She did as she was ordered and closed the door and locked it.

"What are you doing here?" Dr Haynes asked already annoyed at Kate's presence.

"Locking a door and you?" Kate asked Dr Haynes in feigned innocence. Malcolm appeared from behind a cabinet and looked at Kate apologetically as he walked to her. It eased her anger at Malcolm as he looked annoyed and upset instead of wrapped up in the marvels of some science advancement.

"You look amazing and I'm an arse. I'm so sorry for not calling. I couldn't find my comm. unit and well we have a bit of a situation here" Malcolm said as he reached her side and gave her quick kiss in greeting. Kate felt all her anger focus on Dr Haynes as she knew the woman had Malcolm's comm. unit. But instead of outing the woman as she so richly deserved Kate took a deep breath and took the high road.

"Yeah I got that from the warm welcome Dr Haynes gave me" Kate said, she really loathed that woman. Dr Haynes was an attractive brunette in her mid 30's with 5ft 6 curvy body. She was also two-faced, self conceited bitch. So it wasn't like Kate hated her for no good reason.

"And now she's stuck with us until we find and secure the specimen" Dr Haynes said.

"Specimen? Please tell me it's not a spider" Kate said moving closer to Malcolm while looking for any eight legged foes. She hated spiders, passionately to the point she couldn't stand being in the same room as one without being incredibly uncomfortable.

"No, it's an infant primate not an arachnid" Malcolm assured her as he ran a soothing hand down her back before He moved deeper into the labs to the main area they used for cataloguing new specimens and samples retrieved from outside the gates. The place that was normal tidy was a mess of broken glass and knocked over items.

Malcolm picked up the plex and showed her on a plex a picture of the primate and gave her a brief explanation of its species. It reminded her of a Tarsier and this one was incredibly small, furry with big eyes. The last of her anger sapped away as even she wasn't immune to cute baby animals. The picture made her melt inside at how adorable it was but she kept her girly 'awwwh it's so freaking cute!' to herself. Malcolm explained to her that Haynes had captured the baby and kept it in a cage for a month studying and caring for it. Malcolm had no qualms in expressing his opinion on the matter and how he had established protocols for a reason. Kate agreed with him while Haynes looked suitably chastised.

"Ok so a baby monkey about the size of Zoe's fist with long arms and legs and tail is lost in the lab. Anything else I should know?" Kate asked not impressed, she was expecting dinner and a night of hot sex, now she was stuck in the labs looking for a baby primate that should be still out in the wild with its mum and not running loose in a lab thanks to Dr Haynes.

"It is not a baby monkey it's-" Dr Haynes started finding her backbone to correct Kate. But Kate held up a hand stopping her and shook her head.

"Yeah I don't care about the fancy science name you gave the monkey. It isn't going to help me find him faster" Kate said, Dr Haynes made an indignant noise. She just assumed it was a male and used the pronoun to personalise the animal.

"Good luck, we've been trying for the last hour and half and only spotted it twice." Dr Haynes told Kate.

"You two have been searching for over an hour and only thought to lock the doors now?" Kate asked Malcolm and Dr Haynes. The two chagrined and Kate shook her head before moving on.

"Ok, does he have diseases or anything I should be worried about?" Kate asked not liking her luck at not getting bitten in the process of capturing it. She figured she rather know what she was getting into by searching for the little creature.

"No, but it is a vicious primate. It tried to bite me several times so try not to get bitten. I don't want you contaminating the specimen with your blood." Dr Haynes said.

"Oh right why didn't I think about that?" Kate said with a smile looking at Malcolm. It was the kind of smile that said 'I'm trying really hard not to claw her eyes out right now'. Malcolm moved behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders and massaged them slowly.

"Just take a deep breath, would it help if I told you that once we find this infant primate. I will spend the rest of the evening showing you just how much I appreciate your help?" Malcolm asked her in a low voice.

"Yes" Kate said with a sigh as the shoulder massage and his proposition softened her up. Malcolm pushed Kate's hair out of the way and placed a kiss on the back of her neck. It was his signal for saying it was time for them to get back to searching the labs.

"Are you sure the monkey is still in here?" Kate asked them.

"It's a primate and yes as soon as the cage dropped to the floor we quickly closed every door and window. The primate had nowhere to escape" Dr Haynes answered.

"Ok, then perhaps you two should stay here and let me have a go by myself" Kate said as she pulled off her boots and jacket. She highly doubt she would have much luck finding it but understood how the primate felt she'd definitely want to escape if Dr Haynes wanted to study her.

"Oh and what will make you find it when we haven't had much luck?" Dr Haynes asked.

"Well for one I don't make a fraction of the noise you two make stomping around in your hiking boots" Kate said to Dr Haynes. Malcolm took a seat on a stool at the main table knowing when Kate wanted help she would call for help. There was also the fact he and Dr Haynes had been unsuccessful so far.

"Try not kill the specimen, it's just a baby" Dr Haynes told her as she sat down next to Malcolm.

"Please there's barely any meat on him." Kate said rolling her eyes. Malcolm smiled at her humour while Dr Haynes looked horrified.

* * *

Malcolm watched as Kate slowly and quietly dimmed all the lights in the labs. He wasn't exactly sure what she was doing but then he was at the point where he just wanted to find the infant primate and go home with Kate. If she would still have him after tonight, sadly it wasn't the first time he had gotten caught up in work and neglected her. Kate understood but everyone had a limit.

He felt horrible for standing Kate up once and now twice. Thanks to Dr Haynes who had broken strict protocols in studying local fauna in its natural habitat. He had written the strict protocols that no scientist should physically interact with the young of any species unless absolutely necessary. Granted he had broken the protocol with the Ankylosaurus but he knew from past research if the baby Ankylosaurus could be helped the mother would take it back.

Unlike this primate species that identified their young by scent. Once Dr Haynes touched that baby primate the damage was done. It had been rejected by its mother. The incompetence and arrogance of the woman was astounding. It just added to the aggravation of the woman who had been clumsy knocking a cage over and the primate escape.

He would have called Kate but he had lost his comm. unit and then with the primate escaping. It had become a mess and he couldn't in good conscious let an infant primate to roam freely in labs or worse escape and be eaten by a predator due to Dr Haynes incompetence.

If anything watching Kate slink around his lab searching for a tiny infant primate made him realise more than anything just how much he loved her. Kate disappeared into his office, if she found the primate he would forever in her debt. It was embarrassing enough he'll have to inform Taylor of Dr Haynes suspension as it reflected poorly on him and his control over his own staff. He really would prefer to not add that they lost the specimen as it was now his responsibility.

* * *

After about 5 minutes, Dr Haynes sighed loudly and looked at Malcolm. He wasn't blind to her beauty or the fact he could hold an in-depth academic conversation with her about his work but she really did not hold his attention the same way Kate did.

"She's not going to find the specimen" Haynes whispered to him as she leaned in close. Malcolm sat back from her. Not wanting to encourage her in any way.

"If you had followed protocol the primate would not be our responsibility. We are here to explore and examine not start a zoo by making the local fauna dependant on us. As such tomorrow you will be on suspension until further notice" Malcolm informed her.

"What? This is outrageous! Who will look after my projects?" Haynes hissed.

"I'll delegate them to those who are interested in extra work." Malcolm said calmly.

"That is unacceptable! You can't shut me out of my own projects! I'm going to talk to Commander Taylor about this." Dr Haynes threatened.

"10 am tomorrow good for you?" Malcolm asked calling her bluff. Dr Haynes looked flabbergasted that he wasn't ruffled by the threat and opened her mouth to speak when Kate reappeared looking a little dishevelled and extremely uncomfortable.

"I found it" Kate said quickly to them.

"Where is it?" Dr Haynes asked getting off her seat.

"Safe and secure, so if you two want the monkey? Malcolm stays and you Dr Haynes call it a night and go away" Kate told her, she folded her arms across her chest. Malcolm nodded in agreement as he had had enough of Dr Haynes's presence for one evening.

"Miss Renshaw do try to act your age and be mature about this." Dr Haynes said with disdain.

"I'm way too hungry to be mature about anything right now." Kate told her. Dr Haynes looked to Malcolm to try and resolve the situation.

"Dr Wallace you must appreciate Miss Renshaw is out of her depth. I've been taking care of this primate for the last 4 weeks." Dr Haynes said she touched his arm as if making a physical connection would help her manipulate him to her way of thinking. "Couldn't you persuade her to tell us where the primate is so we can make finish our work for the night?" she asked. Malcolm pursed his lips for a moment and then came to a very easy decision.

"Dr Haynes, go home" Malcolm said he got up from his seat and moved to the closest exit and unlocked the door. He even pushed it open for her a clear sign he was dismissing Dr Haynes. He knew better than to try and fight with Kate when she was hungry and he wanted Dr Haynes gone.

"Dr Wallace-"

"Go home. I will meet you in the Command Centre at 10 am. Goodnight" Malcolm said to Dr Haynes. Dr Haynes looked hesitant for a moment before decided it was better to leave than make a scene. Once she left, Malcolm closed the door and looked to Kate.

"My god, I thought she'd never leave" Malcolm said Kate chuckled weakly at the joke and twitched her shoulders.

"You are looking distinctly uncomfortable" he said.

"You would be too if you were currently being licked by a monkey. Sorry 'infant primate'" Kate said correcting herself. Malcolm was equal parts confused and amused. His confusion was cleared as soon as she turned around and he saw right in the middle of her back just below her shoulder blades under the fabric of her dress was a small but visible lump.

"Dr Haynes was right about one thing. He sure is fast, didn't even buy me a drink before he raced up my sleeve of my dress and got personal with me. I tried to grab him but I was afraid of hurting him so I gave up." Kate said with a sigh as she walked in the direction of his office.

Malcolm followed trying not the laugh and once inside his office he closed the doors and the blinds. Kate slowly removed the top half dress from her body so Malcolm could see the little primate. Any other time it would have been incredibly sexy but Malcolm couldn't stop the smile of humour as he saw the little Primate latched on her back.

"He likes you" Malcolm commented. He looked at the tiny primate with its little clawed hands dug into Kate's back while its feet used the hooks and eyes of her bra to leverage its feet and body. So far the creature hadn't drawn blood but Kate would definitely have marks.

"Yeah I got that impression when he started to lick me. But can you please pull him off me. He's really digging into my skin to hang on. I don't want him drawing blood" Kate said sarcastically as she was referring to Dr Haynes's comment of contaminating the primate.

"You must be giving off a scent or something he likes" Malcolm said in an amused tone. The tiny primate was licking her back like she was his version of catnip. He crossed his left arm across his body and cupped his right elbow. He placed his right hand over his mouth to cover the smile he had on face while he tried to think of a way of removing the primate without it biting him. He already knew the monkey didn't like him. Yet it was happy as a King attached to Kate.

"Yeah I have a theory that it's my moisturiser. Now if you don't get the little pervert off me in the next 10 minutes it's the only thing that will be licking me tonight" Kate said impatiently. Malcolm pressed his lips together trying desperately not to laugh as he knew her threat was empty or at least he hoped so.

* * *

_(A/N: Yes I made up a cute animal…Anyone with a name suggestions let me know!)_


	3. Chapter 3

"Have you spoken with Shannon about taking over my position as second in Command for the Colony?" Alicia asked as she and Taylor packed away the dirty dishes into the dishwasher. She was still trying to garner the courage to tell him. She had no idea how hard it was to say '_Hey, I'm pregnant'. _She thought saying _' I love you'_ for the first time was even harder but she was wrong. As every time she wanted to say it different words came out her mouth. She survived two wars and countless missions and yet she can't managed to say one sentence it was pitiful. She had decided she had to tell him tonight and all through dinner up until now and she had yet to tell him.

"Not yet, I thought I'd wait and see if you might have changed your mind" Taylor replied.

"Well I haven't" Alicia told him.

"You can have it all" Taylor said as he closed the dishwasher drawer.

"I don't want to be Queen of the Colony Nathaniel. I just want you, our family and to keep my military standing as long as I can. We've discussed this" Alicia said. Taylor nodded as she was right. They had discussed it, many times.

"Ok, when do you want to step down?" Taylor asked he knew she brought this up for a reason. He was remaining as calm and casual as he could even though he wanted to know what the secret was between her and Kate. There was also the fact that Alicia had been looking at him like she had something to say but wasn't saying it.

"In three weeks" Alicia told him.

"Ok, I'll talk with Shannon in the morning and get the ball rolling" Taylor said as he closed the space between them.

"Good" Alicia said with noticeable relief.

"Anything else?" Taylor asked her, hoping she would tell him what the secret was.

'_I'm pregnant'…_ "Yeah I love you" Alicia said with an inviting smile. She knew in that moment he could tell something was going on but before he could question it she pulled him to her and kissed him long and hard. Taylor lifted her onto the kitchen counter and stepped between her legs only breaking the kiss to pull off Alicia's t-shirt and his own.

Alicia cupped his face and dragged him back for another hungry and possessive kiss tightening her legs around his hips pulling him closer feeling his arousal rub against her. Taylor groaned from the contact and how Alicia was fire in his arms. He had to move them to the bedroom before he took her on the kitchen counter. Not that it wasn't an appealing idea he just wasn't an exhibitionist and the last thing he wanted was Kate walking in on them. Again.

The last time it happened he couldn't look the woman in the eye for a month. He lifted Alicia off the counter and carried her to bedroom. He threw her on the bed and closed the door before he turned his attention back to her. Alicia in the few seconds he had turned away shed herself of her clothes and was now lying naked on the bed provocatively. He felt his heart skip a beat as he drank in the sight of her.

"Sure you don't want to take a picture? It'll last longer" Alicia told him with a salacious smile. Taylor quirked an eyebrow at her as he kicked off his boots and shucked his pants before joining her on the bed.

* * *

Back in the research labs,

"He's kind of cute now that he's unconscious and not licking me" Kate mused as she looked at the tiny primate that was slumbering in his cage. Malcolm chuckled as he was standing behind her disinfecting her back where the primate licked Kate and the marks from its claws. Last thing he wanted was for her to have an allergic reaction.

"Don't tell me you're getting attached to him" he said in disbelief as he finished cleaning her back and helped Kate back into her wrap around dress.

"No, I know he's Dr Haynes's project" Kate said with a pout. Malcolm moved to her side and looked at her face. He couldn't believe it only half an hour ago she wanted the 'little pervert' off her and now she was looking at the tiny primate like she wanted to take him home and keep him as a pet.

"Well he's here to stay. If you want to take care of him you can do so until Dr Haynes's returns to work" Malcolm offered as he cleaned up the table. He knew he was going to regret it but for now he couldn't help but enjoy the smile that lit up Kate's face.

"Really?" Kate asked her tone full of hope.

"Yes, but this is only for a short time and he has to stay in the cage at all times. I don't need him running around my lab making mischief and biting people" Malcolm said. Kate nodded her head in excitement as got up from her seat and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thank you!" Kate said before she drew him in for a kiss.

* * *

Alicia rested her head on Taylor's shoulder still catching her breath. They were both slick with sweat and completely sated, the sex had been intense far more intense than usual. It reminded her of the first time they had been together after she said 'I love you'. It was one of the most intense and intimate moments of her life. She turned her head and placed a gentle kiss on his shoulder before getting comfortable. Taylor's hands slowly caressed her now cooling skin as he held her close. She realised she had to say it, she had to tell him as he was relaxed and she could chicken out of having him pin her with his intense blue eyes, Alicia bit her bottom lip for a second and committed to her decision.

"I'm pregnant" Alicia said she felt the weight of the world lift off her as she verbalised it. She smiled as she had said it. But her victory was short lived when Taylor didn't say anything. She froze and fear gripped her as his silence spoke volumes.

"Nathaniel?" she said Taylor responded with a deep and loud snore. "Un-freaking-believable!" Alicia breathed. Here she was thinking the worst and hoping he would reassure her or at least be excited when he didn't even hear her.

"Nathaniel wake up!" She said as she nudged him, his snoring grew louder and she poked him in again hoping he'd wake up and she'd be able to tell him. She tried one more time and he woke up but mumbled something about monkeys and driving lessons. It was then she gave a groan of exasperation and gave up. Taylor was gone she had sexed the man to sleep as he just rolled onto his side pulling her with him and remained asleep.

She closed her eyes and decided she would tell him in the morning and that was that. No chickening out. She knew that he knew she was hiding something and he hated secrets. So she would tell him. "Tomorrow" she sighed as she relaxed in his arms and allowed herself to fall asleep.

* * *

The following Morning,

"He just a tiny fur ball with the cutest little claws and the biggest eyes and yes I'm completely smitten. You should check him out even you'd melt" Kate said. Alicia chuckled as Kate had been regaling her with what had happened with her night and about the tiny monkey that had crawled up her dress and got fresh with her.

"I'm on duty but if you let me know what time. I'll be there. I can make an exception for a cute monkey" Alicia said. She still had unfinished business with Taylor. Kate didn't look disappointed by the answer as she continued to eat her breakfast.

"So how was your night? Did you drop the bomb on him?" Kate asked, she was already dressed in her usual work gear of grey sleeveless overalls with a navy blue shirt her sleeves already rolled up to her elbows. Her red hair tied back into a messy bun.

"Yes" Alicia said annoyed, Taylor had snuck out early in the morning and hadn't waked her. He left a note saying they'd have lunch and that he wanted her to take the morning off. So she her plan to tell him in the morning failed. Now she would have to wait until lunch as she was not going to tell him in the Command Centre.

"And?" Kate asked.

"I told him thinking he was awake but no he was asleep" Alicia said. She was run a hand through her hair that was still out, she was already dressed for work except for her boots and her hair being down.

"When did you tell him?" Kate asked, Alicia gave her a look and Kate smiled and broke out into laughter. Alicia waited for Kate to finish enjoying herself. When she calmed down after a few minutes Kate spoke "You couldn't have told him over dinner?" Kate asked.

"I tried! Do you know how hard it is to say 'I'm pregnant' to him?" Alicia asked her.

"Yeah but I think he knows something is going on. You know, I could do it for you but I think it would be better heard from you" Kate said with a smile. Alicia shot her look.

"Imagine if it was Malcolm and you in this situation and you had to tell Malcolm" Alicia said. Kate paled slightly and Alicia knew she would have just as much trouble but then Kate smiled.

"I'd get Jim to tell him. He has kids makes him qualified to give Malcolm the 'talk'. You know what it's like to be around pregnant women and babies, the joys of pregnancy and fatherhood etc." Kate said.

"Nice try but that is still a cop-out" Alicia stated. Kate smiled.

"Nice pun but come on. We both know Malcolm would have a melt down before being over the moon. I know for a fact my pregnant and hormonally crazy self would not be able to handle the freak out stage. Thus it's easier for me to delegate the telling Malcolm part to someone else. Stress isn't good for the baby" Kate said with an amused smile.

"Why wouldn't you want Taylor giving Malcolm the talk?" Alicia asked feigning innocence.

"I figured Taylor and you would be too busy taking care of me!" Kate said proudly as she had thought of nearly everything. Alicia laughed as it was true. If their current roles were reversed they would be looking after her. Though Taylor would be definitely have words with the scientist about marriage and doing the honourable thing which was rich now Taylor had knocked her up before they even exchanged vows.

"Ok well either way I'm telling him today" Alicia said determined.

"When?" Kate asked as she cleaned up her side of the table. She was finished with her breakfast.

"At lunch" Alicia said as Kate put her dirty dishes in the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen.

"Why not now?" Kate asked.

"Because he's in the office surrounded by soldiers" Alicia said. It was enough for Kate to understand that Alicia wanted to share the news privately before they announced it.

"Right, lunch it is. Well I gotta go to work. Good luck!" Kate said as she kissed Alicia on the top of her head and ran out the door. Alicia sighed and placed her head on the table. She was exhausted and she already had 8 hours of sleep. She was glad she had the morning off as she planned to go straight back to bed and just lie there until lunch. It wasn't everyday she allowed herself to be lazy and just lie back and relax. Well lie back she was still stressed over waiting until lunch to tell Taylor she was pregnant.

* * *

Carter sat hidden in the tree branches on the east perimeter. He had managed to slip by the phoenix soldiers waiting for their signal to attack. He knew he was there just in time as he remembered the man telling them to move into their hiding position and they'd only have to wait 30 minutes for the signal. Then they would move in for their targets. He just had to slip into the colony and follow the woman from 2016. It was lucky that Mira had given him a good description of what she looked like and that he knew she would be working construction on the east side of the colony otherwise he'd be completely screwed.

He was getting excited at the prospect of meeting the woman. He wondered if she would be just as Mira advertised.

* * *

Kate stopped at a half constructed house to see Curran and Escher already setting up the rigs to put the roof on. The two stopped when they saw her and moved to the edge of the frame so they could talk.

"Looking good guys" Kate told them.

"So you finally got over the morning sickness" Curran said. Kate flipped him the one finger salute at which he laughed.

"Hilarious, Curran. Tell me why I keep you on my rotation?" Kate asked him.

"Because I'm incredibly good looking?" he offered.

"No, that's not it" Kate said scratching her head thoughtfully, she then clicked her fingers "That's right I remember now you're cheap labour" she said with a wry smile. Curran laughed. She looked to Escher who didn't find anything amusing. "Escher, how are you this fine morning?" She asked him.

"I'm well and yourself?" he asked.

"Perfect health" She said, the man cracked a smile something that was rare for him.

"Good. We missed you around here" He said, something about the words rang untrue but Kate didn't take it personally. Not everyone was going to be her friend but at least he was polite enough to pretend.

"Well just letting you know, I'm having a half day and I'll be doing the inspections today as promised. I'll send a copy to Baz and he'll let you know if anything needs to be fixed. Sound good?" Kate asked them. Not that it was going to change her plans if they did have a problem with it.

"Sure" Curran said with a shrug. Escher showed no problem either.

"Ok I'll catch ya later then" Kate said with a wave. She continued on walking back to the start where the fully constructed houses were. She pulled out her hand held plex Baz had given to her that morning when she passed the main square and opened up the program she needed and opened the door to the first house.

* * *

28 minutes later, in the Research labs.

Malcolm watched the tiny primate in its cage and frowned. If he could prescribe an emotion to a tiny primate he would say that the primate looked forlorn as it was just staring at him with its big eyes now. When he arrived in the labs he found Kate in his office with the primate. Malcolm watched as the primate's disposition had lit up and became active jumping up and down trying to reach through the bars for her.

Kate stayed for a little while before she had to go to work. As soon as she left the primate lost interest and began to stare at Malcolm like it was his fault.

"Don't look at me like that she'll be back at lunch" He told it. He didn't mind talking to the animal as he knew the labs were empty. The primate just blinked at him not doing much of anything. It made a difference from the vicious angry little creature it was yesterday in Dr Haynes's presence.

"Dr Wallace?" Malcolm turned in his seat and saw three men standing at his door. He didn't recognise their faces and paused when he saw one of them carrying a tranquilizer gun that were used for capturing specimens in the field.

"Ah He's called in sick, can I take a message?" Malcolm offered he barely pulled his comm. unit out of his pocket when he was shot in the neck with a tranquilizer dart.

"Get the equipment" was the last thing he heard before he blacked out.

* * *

Alicia sighed as she laid in bed. It was near impossible to relax knowing in less than 5 hours she'd have to tell Taylor for the second time that she was pregnant like it wasn't hard enough the first time. She really had to man up at least that's what she told herself when she saw a flicker of shadow cross pass the frosted windows of her house. She sat up and opened the slats slightly and heard chatter.

"In position awaiting signal" one of the men said into his radio. Alicia narrowed her eyes and listened to the radio's response and cursed as it ordered the soldiers to go. She quickly moved away from the window and went to her bed and pulled her side arm from the bedside table. She was about to go for her comm. unit which she left in the kitchen when she heard the front door open. She knew immediately it was not Kate coming home and turned her side arm up to overload.

She listened and she counted the boots entering the house while her weapon made a high pitch squeal as the capacitors were about to overload. She slid open the bedroom door and tossed the gun into the room before she jumped to behind her bed and covered her ears.

The gun overloaded and sent out one large sonic blast that shattered glass and would burst ear drums of anyone who wasn't prepared. She just hoped that the soldiers had been standing close enough to be incapacitated but she wasn't going to risk it. She jumped up from her hiding spot and saw five soldiers struggling to stand as they were disorientated by the blast.

She ran the closest soldier and kicked him in the head and before she moved to the next who had just gotten to his feet and elbowed him in the face followed a solid punch to the solar plexus. She moved behind him pulled him into a strangle hold with one arm and used him as a body shield as his buddies fired at them. She pulled his side arm and managed to fire and hitting two soldiers before she dropped her human shield and dove for cover behind the kitchen counter as the other soldiers fired their sonic rifles at her. She looked at the gun in her hands and cursed as it was a tranquilizer gun and she only had 6 rounds.

* * *

Kate was in the fourth house on the list and singing to herself as she slid open doors and closed them. She checked the water and electricity were on and working that the cupboards in the kitchen opened and closed etc. She really found nothing more mundane than this part of the job. Like they didn't trust their work and had to triple check everything.

She was sliding the bathroom door open when she heard a small beep. She turned on her feet and went to the kitchen where she hadn't checked yet. It was also the only place where a beeping noise would be made thanks to the oven timer but it was a different beeping sound. But she double checked it anyway. When she looked at the oven but found it off and started searching the cupboards as something didn't feel right and that's when she found the source.

"Oh fuck me!" Kate cursed as she found a bomb counting down she had only 4 seconds.


	4. Chapter 4

"You want me to be your Second in Command for the Colony?" Jim asked he wasn't sure he just heard Taylor say that Alicia was stepping down from her liaison position as Second in Command of the Colony and the Military.

"Yes, Wash wants to oversee just the Military day to day with me which means you and I will coordinate the Colony as a whole, you'll of course take her duties that relate to Civilian matters that may arise." Taylor said.

"Why does Wash want to step down?" Jim asked, he was honoured to be considered and to actually be offered a more official standing in the Chain of Command than just a random civilian cop with a sheriff title but he couldn't see why Alicia would give up the role. It was a demotion if anything.

"She has her reasons which you can discuss with her. So what do you say?" Taylor asked. Jim didn't get to answer as a soldier came in.

"Sir we have a report of a disturbance at Lt Washington's house. L.T. is not answering her comm. and the team we sent are not answering" the soldier informed.

Taylor was about to start giving orders but was stopped as several explosions sounded and the ground tremor from the shock waves. Chaos erupted and Taylor's comm. unit gurgle to life with chatter as reports came in.

"We're being invaded…"

"Phoenix soldiers"

"Several explosions, need fire assist…"

Taylor and Jim were already gearing up and when they stepped out the door they could see the fire and smoke in the distance in several seemingly random places. Civilians were scattering in the panic while Taylor's soldiers were fighting the phoenix soldiers. Jim and Taylor ran down the stairs and joined the fight like an organised team Taylor shouting orders to his men and Jim moving civilians to safety while fighting off the soldiers.

* * *

"We have you surrounded even if you escape the house we'll still trap you" a soldier said.

Alicia was pissed off. Not only was her house a mess now she was going to have to buy new cutlery and kitchen knives as they were all currently imbedded in an enemy soldier, or her walls or bent out of shape from sonic blasts. She was also annoyed because she hadn't stashed a gun in the kitchen. When this was over she was going to have a gun hidden everywhere but out of child's reach of course. She picked up the tranquilizer gun and sighed as it was her last defence before she'd have to use physical force.

* * *

Kate coughed as smoke and ash filtered into her lungs. She couldn't see anything as debris covered the bath tub she had jumped into to escape the explosion. She was amazed she had even survived. She turned onto her back and tried to take shallow breaths as she kicked at the debris. No way was she suffocating to death in a bath tub but the debris wouldn't shift.

"Hold on, I'll have you out in a minute" a male voice Kate didn't recognize call through the debris. She pulled her baton from her pocket as she heard wood and debris being shifted. She blinked at the bright sunlight and the smoke as she took the offer of help. The man pulled her up out of the bath and helped move her clear of the burning wreck of a house.

Once clear Kate pulled out her baton and expanded it quickly. Carter took a couple of steps back from her and held his hands out in surrender even though he had a rifle swung over his shoulder.

"Hey take it easy I just saved you" he told her.

"What the hell is a Sixer doing saving me!" Kate asked, she knew his face from one of the many profiles she flipped through months ago when trying to figure out who the sixer spy was. Rule number one in her work 'know thy enemy'.

"I need your help. So consider me on your side." He said and before Kate could react he pulled the rifle and fired it. Kate was shocked when the blast missed her she whipped her head around and saw a phoenix soldier dead on the ground behind her. She swung her head back to Carter. "Name's Carter and you should pick up a weapon there are more coming" he told her.

* * *

Taylor ran towards Alicia and Kate's home, he was only 6 houses away when he saw Alicia being carried out by Phoenix soldiers further down the road. He picked up his speed and fired his weapon but the soldiers were too busy with their cargo. Just as he was passing her house, it exploded the force of the explosion sent him flying. He rolled to the ground like a tumble weed until his head smack something hard and he blacked out.

* * *

Kate dropped the weapon as it ran out charge and pulled her baton out and ran at the soldier and swung hard connecting her baton with the man's temple. The soldier dropped to the ground and Kate picked up his side arm. She killed five more soldiers with head shots and stopped as there were no more phoenix soldiers left standing between her and Carter.

Kate turned on her feet scanning the area for more threats only to stop at Carter who got to his feet. She raised her weapon, pointing it directly at him as she stalked towards him.

"What the hell is going on?" Kate demanded.

"Terra Nova is under attack" Carter told her as he dropped his gun which was dead and held his hands up in surrender.

"Really? I'm so glad you clarified because I thought this was an early surprise party for my Birthday!" Kate exclaimed sarcastically.

"Phoenix Soldiers are here to retrieve two targets. I thought one of them was you but they wanted you dead" Carter said.

"No shit Sherlock" Kate said angry.

"Wow take it down a notch" Carter told her as he was trying to figure out why the Phoenix soldiers wanted her dead when he had thought the man wanted her. She was far more valuable alive and hell a fine piece of ass to boot as he could tell looking her over. She may be covered in blood, soot and dirt but he could still appreciate her body and good looks.

"Who is the other target? Why now?" Kate demanded.

"I think you already know. I know where they are going but I want to make a deal for the information" Carter told her.

"Or I could just beat it out of you" Kate said looking at him coldly.

* * *

An hour later,

Taylor, Jim and Kate were seated at the conference table in the Command Centre sitting opposite Carter. They were all still a mess of blood, dirt and sweat as no one had had time to change. The Colony was secured and any soldier that wasn't injured was now patrolling the fences and in the lookouts.

The damage to the Colony was extensive, Alicia and Kate's house was gone, five houses on East side that had been completed where gone in the attempt to kill Kate. It just luck she jump into the tub and Carter was there to pull her out. Power distribution stations disabled, it was going to take awhile for repairs not to mention the fallout from loss of life.

The reports of the fatalities and casualties were still pending as they had to account for 1000 people. It was going to take time the only thing they did know for sure was that Malcolm and Alicia had been taken. Jim had checked in on his family and made sure they were alive and well.

Maddy and Zoe had been at school and Josh had slept through the entire event thanks to a late night drinking with his friends. After Kate checked Carter into the brig she went in search of Malcolm. She of course didn't find him but instead found Taylor.

The man had a bad concussion but otherwise alive, she helped him to the infirmary to get his head wound healed. Elisabeth had demanded Kate have a scan but a patient at a nearby bed went into cardiac arrest. So Kate and Taylor escaped.

They moved onto trying to follow the tracks of the men who took Alicia but the whole area was mess of many foot tracks and vehicles about a click outside of the perimeter. There were rover tracks but all going in varying directions. They just didn't have the man power or time to follow them all. So here they were sitting with Carter much to Taylor's disdain.

"What's the proposition?" Taylor asked losing patience he wanted to jump in his rover and get his people back. Now.

"Mira sent me as her representative. The Sixers have been taken prisoner by the Phoenix Group-" Carter said, the man was smug as if he had all the power. He truly underestimated Taylor and especially Kate as the man ogled the redhead openly.

"Save the sob story for later. What do you want?" Taylor asked cutting Carter off.

"For Dr Wallace to fix the Terminus and reopen the fracture back to 2149 if it is possible. Mira wants absolution for all the Sixers and to return to the Colony for the period of time it takes to re-open the fracture and for those who just want to come in from the cold." Carter said.

"I'm hearing demands but not what I gain from this" Taylor said.

"Mira is the only one who knows where your precious Lieutenant is. So here's the deal, I know you don't have enough manpower to pull off a rescue. But I don't need an army I just need Red here. She helps me 'dispose' of the remaining Phoenix Soldiers that are holding Mira and the others. I can't see her complaining as she'll save her lover. When the camp is under Sixer control, Mira will then tell you the location of Lt. Washington. Then what you do with that information is up to you" Carter said.

"Why would Lt Washington be in a different location to Dr Wallace?" Jim asked.

"Escher wanted her for his own pleasure. We figured it was a small price to pay when everything was going well. I assumed he had wanted Red, not like he's the only man with that dream but I was wrong" Carter said.

"Escher?" Kate asked ignoring his comment. She actually had no problems believing it to be Escher to behind all of this. He was a calculative person. He thought everything through like life was a game of chess.

"Yeah the snake, he was one of our 'spies' until he fed us bad intelligence lost 4 good men. Mira took it personally but her dislike for the man was trumped by her desire to see her kid again. Thing is when Lucas was close to finishing his calculations on finding a fracture he disappeared. Escher said he's got the man in safe place so we all keep to our parts of the plan" Carter explained with a shrug.

"The plan?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah, he's the puppet master. He's the one who set this entire operation up even motivated the soldiers to sacrifice themselves for the mission. So are you going to need a minute because we really need to hit the road" Carter said to Taylor.

* * *

"I don't like this. Ideas?" Taylor asked once they were outside of the Command Centre on the balcony out of Carter's hearing range. Guzman had stepped in with four guards to keep an eye on Carter.

"What does Escher want with Alicia? He's never looked at her once or even spoken to her" Kate said.

"Well someone should check out his place. Might give us clues to where they have gone, look at his plex history see if he's been looking at maps" Jim said. Kate shook her head.

"No, he's too smart to leave around photo collages and maps with love hearts and arrows pointing 'saying here we here'. I say we cut a deal with Carter. It will be quicker" Kate said.

"We'll do both. Kate you and I are going to make a counter offer for the information. Jim you check out Escher's house" Taylor said.

"Ok. But what if he won't agree to your terms. Right now he thinks he has all the power in this situation and we don't have three days to torture him" Jim said bringing up the 'Boylan' incident that hadn't played out so well. Taylor looked to Kate which made Jim wary. He was not a person who agreed to torturing people for information it never yielded the results that could be trusted.

"You can change his mind without too much persuasion" Taylor said to her. They both had a loved one out there, they should have taken a step back as they wouldn't be rational, couldn't be rational about this.

"You want me to take over the negotiations?" Kate asked Taylor in a cautious tone.

"Yes, I'll agree to the sixers returning but it will be on my terms one of them being no absolution. They want to return to Terra Nova. They will have to surrender at the gates and comply to all my terms…" Taylor rattled off everything to Kate while Jim listened. Kate nodded as he was not going to let the Sixers get a free ride for nothing. "Now let's get the location of the camp and get Malcolm and then Wash back so this can be over" Taylor said.

"Only if we get Alicia first" Kate said.

"Malcolm is the civilian he gets priority. You know this" Taylor said.

"I do but I don't agree with it and since this agreement hinges on me putting my ass on the line then I want to get Alicia first" Kate said. It was true, Carter's deal said only Kate to infiltrate the camp with him but even so it wasn't like Taylor couldn't spare the resources from the colony to do two separate rescue missions without compromising Colony's safety. They barely had enough men to cover the perimeter.

"Wash is a highly qualified Military Officer she can survive longer than Malcolm" Taylor said.

"No she can't" Kate said as she looked away and winced as she knew she had to tell Taylor the truth.

"I think I know my own XO" Taylor said darkly.

"She's pregnant" Kate said in a low voice.

"Excuse me?" Taylor said as he wasn't sure he heard Kate right.

"She's pregnant, she could not survive if she had a miscarriage and wasn't treated with proper medical treatment or care" Kate said not looking at either of the men. Jim wondered if he had just heard Kate right while Taylor looked shell shocked by the news. Suddenly then it all clicked for Taylor: last night's conversation about stepping down and everything to be ready for the future to the intense love making session.

"This is what you two have been hiding from me! How long have you known? Why didn't she just tell me?" Taylor asked panicked and angered as grabbed Kate by the arms and shook her. He was angry at himself for not pushing Alicia last night, by not asking her when he knew something was going on. He was now even more scared that she and his unborn child was out in the wilderness at the mercy of madman. Kate looked at him and didn't fight his bruising grip on her arms.

"Alicia was going to tell you at lunch today. Can we please get back to the task at hand" Kate asked him in a calm and detached way. He could see she was just as scared, struggling for control of her emotions but she was keeping them contained better than him. Something he wished he could do but the news of the pregnancy compounding into the impossible situation made him incapable of seeing a solution. So he did the only thing he could, he locked eyes with Kate.

"You do whatever it takes to make him agree" Taylor told her. Kate nodded but he tightened his grip "whatever it takes" he reiterated slowly so there was no mistaking his orders that she understood that he didn't care if she pulled the man to bits as long as they got Alicia back home.

"I understand" Kate said, Taylor removed his hand from her arm and walked away as he couldn't be anywhere near the Command Centre as he was sure he would kill Carter before the man could be useful. He also needed time to process the information and focus his thoughts and prepare for the mission.

* * *

"Be careful when you're checking Escher's house" Kate said to Jim as they watched Taylor walk away. He could see Kate didn't want to be touched, something about her felt hurt, cold and distant. It was a change from the woman who ran around the colony laughing and smiling and cracking jokes at his and her own expense.

The whole exchange between Taylor and Kate went over Jim's head. He realised that it was on a level he wouldn't understand and a part of him that really didn't want to know.

"You can't go in there alone" Jim told her. Kate looked at him and shook her head.

"Guzman can sit in with me. I'll be fine, let me know if you find anything in his place" Kate said as she squared her shoulders.

"Are you sure you're ok to do this?" He asked her. Jim could see the sadness and reluctance at wanting to do what Taylor asked. He knew she would do it but that didn't mean she was ok with what she was being asked to do.

"My personal comfort is irrelevant" Kate said as she walked back into the Command Centre. Jim dropped his head and rubbed his neck and sighed before he went after Taylor.

He didn't have to go far to find the Commander as Taylor was in the Main Square barking orders and packing weapons into the back of a rhino.

"So you and Wash" Jim said as he helped Taylor with the weapons. It wasn't news to anyone in the colony but they all let Taylor and Alicia have their way by not making a big deal of it. The two did their job and they were an exceptional power couple.

"Don't pretend you didn't know" Taylor said as he started to reassembled a sniper rifle Jim had seen Kate prepare before the occupation. It was a long rifle which apparently armour piercing sonic blasts.

"Ok. So this is why Wash wants to step down?" Jim asked.

"Yes, but it was supposed to be in preparation for having a family and coming out and being more public about our union and pending family" Taylor said.

"Like getting married… I think it's the least you could do since you knocked her up" Jim said, he knew any other day of the week Taylor would have decked him for such a statement but the poor man was still in shock and his concern for Alicia's welfare now tripled.

"It is the plan." Taylor said snidely as he checked the scopes. He stopped for a moment feeling the shock hit him again. "I'm going to be a father again" he said in a low voice.

"Well I guess I should accept the job as your Second in Command for the Colony. Unofficially as I still have to discuss it with my wife but I'll need a deputy to help me with the sheriffing around here and a Rover" Jim said as he decided it was best to distract Taylor from his current train of thought. It wasn't going to help the man if he couldn't keep a clear head. They all needed Taylor to stay focused.

"You can have a deputy but no personal rover. Nice try" Taylor said as he dismantled and packed away the weapon before he turned to face Jim.

"How about a free extension on my house, you said there was no pay rise so I might as well get something out of the deal as getting a deputy is just a inevitability. A second bedroom and a separate toilet" Jim stated. After the fun filled week of 5 sick people with one toilet he had wished he had taken Kate's advice at getting an extension.

"Deputy and the house extension but it will have to wait until all my soldiers are housed" Taylor said. He couldn't believe he was negotiating Jim's work contract right now of all times but appreciated the distraction of where his thoughts were leading.

"Sure and I get to pick my deputy" Jim said.

"I get final ok on the individual and no poaching of my soldiers" he told him.

"Agreed" Jim said, they shook hands on the agreement. "I'm going to go check Escher's place. You want to join me?" Jim asked.

* * *

Kate walked into the command centre and pulled out the chair next to Carter and turned the back of the chair to the table and sat down. She relaxed completely into the chair and crossed her ankles and turned her head to look at Carter. He looked amused at her behaviour and moved his chair slightly to accommodate so she didn't have to crane her neck.

"You going to torture me now?" Carter asked.

"No, you'd enjoy that too much" Kate said, she looked over her shoulder to Guzman. "You mind if we lose the guards? If Carter gets out of hand I'll subdue him. Sergeant, you're also welcome to stay" Kate told him.

Guzman nodded and flicked a hand at the junior officers in the room filed out. He folded his arms and remained in his chair.

"Can't we get rid of him?" Carter asked Kate with a mischievous smile.

"Guzman has to stay. He is my best friend. He and I, we do everything together when we aren't on duty. Don't we?" Kate asked not looking back at the soldier.

"Yeah we're like two peas in a pod" Guzman said dryly. The statement couldn't be further from the truth but Kate appreciated him playing along in good humour.

"So the Commander gave me permission to continue the negotiation as he hates your smug face" Kate said, Carter laughed.

"Good, I prefer dealing with you. You speak my language. So do you agree? To everything else I asked for?" Carter asked Kate shook her head.

"No"

"No?" Carter said surprised.

"Here's my counter offer. You tell me where to find Lt Washington. After I recover her, then I'll help you and the Sixers finish the Phoenix Soldiers and save Dr Wallace. Then I will escort you and the sixers to the main gate where Taylor will state his conditions and terms of surrender. Those who agree can come in and those who don't well they know where the jungle is" Kate said.

"But I don't know where Lt Washington is. Mira does" Carter said with a smile, Kate's lips quirked into a little smile of her own.

"Let's not play games. You know everything. You're a smart man, you knew about the attack and you didn't warn us. Instead you waited for an opening to save me so as to ingratiate yourself in my books. So you could use me because let's face it you think I have no integrity and that I will do what is necessary and not hesitate. But here's the thing we have a mutual desire for this to be over with quickly. Now do you agree to my terms?" Kate asked.

"You know I'm really turned on by this domineering tone" Carter told her. He wriggled his eyebrows suggestively at her as he sat forward in his chair. Carter's smile widened as he watched her demeanour turn dark and her grey eyes became cold to the point where he started believed the rumours of her having no soul or mercy. It scared the hell out of him but at the same time he liked it because in that moment he saw her. It was not an act.

"I don't like to waste time. Answer the question. Do you agree with my terms?" Kate asked him.

"I really don't have a choice" Carter said as he leaned in closer to her. She was not ruffled by his close proximity one iota. "One question though what if Lt Washington is dead?" Carter asked.

"For your sake she better not be" Kate told him.

"Well then you should get me a plex" Carter told her.


	5. Chapter 5

The first thing Alicia registered was pain, excruciating pain as her arms were locked and the muscles strained from her being suspended by heavy duty rope. Her feet were bound by rope and her toes barely touched the ground but at least she has able to move.

It gave her options. Not a lot of options but it was still good. She dropped her head back and groaned from the hangover effects of the tranquiliser she opened her eyes and realised she hanging from a branch. She looked around and realised where she was. It was an old Sixer camp site up in the tree canopy but when she had last been here it was abandoned. This place did not look abandoned if anything it was lived in.

There was a cot to one side and boxed of what looked to be food rations and medical supplies. How could they not have noticed this stuff missing from Terra Nova? Then the memories of what happened if her, the fight, her house and finally getting hit with a dart and passing out. She did a mental check up of herself.

She had a bad hangover from the tranquiliser dart and her arms hurt but otherwise she was fine. She just hoped her baby was ok as she had no clue what was in the dart but the lack of abdominal pain and cramping was a good sign. So she kept that positive note in her head.

It didn't make any sense, why was she here? What happened to Terra Nova? What about Taylor and the others? Kate?

She heard a zip noise and watched as a rope pulley system that was used to get to the ground and into the room activated. A man appeared and stepped onto the floor of the tree hut. He was carrying a container labelled 'Power cells'.

"Escher?" Alicia said in disbelief as she recognised him as one of Kate's co-workers.

"You're awake" Escher said.

"What the hell is going on?" Alicia demanded. Escher shook his head as he placed the box he was carrying to the side and proceeded to open a medical supply box.

"I believe the D.O.D. call it being 'rendered'. You should know since you worked for them" he said as he pulled out a syringe and a small bottle. He syphoned some of the liquid into the syringe and walked up to her.

"You kidnapped me, why? What do you want?"Alicia asked as she recoiled from his hand as it moved toward her but she didn't have enough energy or give in her ropes. His hand brushed the hair from her neck before he traced the side of her face lovingly. Her skin crawled in revulsion at the contact.

"You don't remember me" He said as his eyes roved her face, his expression one of a man who finally reunited with a lost loved one.

"Should I?" she asked, she winced as he stabbed her in the neck with the syringe and injected her. Before she could demand what was in the syringe he cut in first.

"I know the facers did a great job but my eyes are still the same and the voice among other things" he said walking up to her. She looked at him showing no recognition of who he was. "You really don't remember me Darling?" he drawled in a cultured South African accent. Alicia's eyes widened as she recognised his voice. "I didn't forget you or the promise I made to you… it's all I've been thinking about for years" he said as he moved away to take care of the syringe.

~Flashback~

"You're here because you fit a very niche profile. Lieutenant, do you know what Sheep dipping is?" D.O.D. Agent McClellan asked a 24 yr old Second Lieutenant Alicia Washington sat in General Philbrick's office in her dress uniform, her hair was cut into a short and sleek bob. The only time she wore a skirt was when she had to put on her dress uniform for ceremonies and such like. Or so she had memorised from the manual. She had just finished basic training, Officer School and her medical degree. She couldn't wait to be assigned to a unit and serve with her brothers and sisters in arms.

"No sir" Alicia said as she kept a neutral expression as the General watched her reactions from his leather chair behind the desk as he smoked a cigar. She was nervous as hell what second lieutenant gets called into a General's office at the Pentagon. She was however surprised to that there would a be guy from the D.O.D. Agent Laurent McClellan, as he introduced himself when she arrived. He had approved of her appearance that made her want to punch him in the face for being so openly leery at her body. She deserved respect but she refrained from physical violence as General Philbrick was in the room last thing she needed was a disciplinary note on her record before she even got started.

"I didn't think you would. Sheep-dipping is an old term for camouflaging or disguising the true identity of an individual or individuals who are of a military background before they engage in clandestine intelligence activities. The D.O.D. want you for a deep cover mission" McClellan said as he handed her a plex with a mission brief and files on it.

"Me Sir? I'm a medic not special ops." Alicia said firmly she was all for protecting her country but she knew her own limitations.

"Deep cover, No longer than a year. His name is Declan Ellyas, he is what we like to call a 'Fixer' or 'Middle man'. A terrorist wants something i.e. weapons, someone to clean up a mess or build an army. He'll propagate these items or services. He's very good at it. He has strong ties to many terrorists. Lately he's been helping East African Rebels acquire military grade weapons."

"Which isn't good as things are heating up in that area" Philbrick said. Alicia nodded in agreement she knew US Military was currently preparing to go over for NATO on a joint peacekeeping mission to hopefully stabilise the country before war broke out.

"What we need is someone to infiltrate his world. The objective is to obtain his client list and ascertain his business partners along with new up and comers who crop up. So we can keep track of who's who and intervene when necessary. The intelligence derived from this mission would be incredibly valuable and save many lives." McClellan said, Alicia felt unsure of herself as the person who should do it.

"But Sir I'm not qualifi-"

"We'll train you, give you a new identity and everything else you'll need. Now, General Philbrick can't order you to do it Lieutenant. It has to be your choice but I can promise you after this mission you'll have any station you want. So are you in?" McClellan said sweetening the deal.

~End of Flashback~

"Ellyas"

"That's right"

"You're supposed to be dead, they told me you were dead!" she said shaking her head adamantly in disbelief. Fear and panic rolled through her not because she was losing feeling in her body below her neck but because he was supposed to be dead. Her debriefing from McClellan that day had forgotten to mention how truly psychotic Ellyas was and the fact that he held grudges. She had barely escaped him the first time.

"I survived Darling, spent 7 years in a rendition camp until my comrades found me" he said as he moved around her. "It took me few years building up resources and finding out where you were. I spent a lot of money to buy a ticket to Terra Nova and getting the new face but it was worth it. I promised you that I'd be back." he said.

Alicia paled at his words, she remembered his words clearly as the day he said them. They haunted her, stopped her from settling down, it was why she was so gung ho in her fighting she'd rather go out saving lives than for a psychopath's personal pleasure.

"I'm not the same person I was. We aren't the same people, please can't we just leave the past where it is and move on?" she implored, diplomacy was not one of her strengths but it wasn't like she could free herself and kill the man which she sorely wished to do.

"Move on?" he scoffed bitterly. "You made me love you and then betrayed me!" he said in a quivering voice as he was a mixture of anger and sadness.

"You're sociopath… Someone like you could never understand the concept of love because you're incapable of it" Alicia told him. Like she said being diplomatic was not a strong suit. She could see she struck a nerve as his eyes filled with tears. He didn't even bother to hide his emotions as he was hurt and angry.

"And you think Commander Taylor loves you? You're just his whore as much as you were mine" he sneered at her.

"I'm confused was I your whore or someone you loved? Because I can't be both" Alicia said feigning innocence. Ellyas backhanded her across the face. He turned away from her and rubbed his face taking a step back trying to control his anger. Alicia tasted blood in her mouth from the hit as her teeth had cut the inside of her cheek. She waited for him to turn around and hit her again but after a few seconds he turned around to face her.

"You musn't anger me. I don't want to hurt you in your current condition" he told her. Alicia's breath hitched. "Of course I know about your child" he told her, she couldn't stop the tears falling from her eyes.

"Shhh, shh it's ok I'm not going to kill him or her… children are a gift that should be cherished" he told her.

* * *

"I have a location" Kate said as she ran down the stairs of the Command Centre to Taylor and Jim who had just decided to go check Escher's place. She passed a plex to Taylor and he looked at the map coordinates.

"He's only going to be there for another 6 hours before he moves to a secondary site. It looks like he's planning set out a nice trail to follow." Kate added. She told them what Carter had said. They layout of the old Sixer campsite being used, where traps were laid down, good vantage points for a sniper along with the best way to approach the camp without being detected.

"You were only in there for 10 minutes" Jim said in disbelief to Kate. He was amazed at how quick she had been to get such a large amount of information but also curious as to what kind of deal she made to get the information.

"I'm sorry, should I have taken longer?" Kate asked Jim sarcastically.

"It will take 3 hours to get here-" Taylor started to say but Kate interrupted.

"And 4 more hours from that location to where they are holding Malcolm, it's on the way. We take two rhinos just the four of us… Carter being our fourth person of course. Save Alicia first, you three will head back to here. Carter and I continue on." Kate said Taylor quirked an eyebrow impressed with how quickly she had come up with a plan and the information. But he shook his head.

"No, I'll pull 6 more soldiers from duty they'll be support. We will adapt the plan and when Wash is secure Jim and the soldiers will escort Wash back to Terra Nova before you, Carter and I continue on. I'm not allowing you to go alone into that camp without back up. I'll gather the troops and Carter doesn't get a weapon" Taylor said.

"But-"

"No 'buts' Kate, I make the final decisions around here. Now go get changed and gear up, we roll out in ten minutes" Taylor said, Kate closed her mouth and nodded.

* * *

Malcolm awoke with a jostle. It took a few minutes for the noise of an engine and voices. He kept his head down and eyes closed as his head pounded painfully. They were transporting him back to their camp. That much was obvious. He opened his eyes slowly and looked down at his hands and saw his wrists were tied with plastic cuffs.

"This mission is FUBAR" of the soldiers said near him.

"Tell me about it but at least we got the engineer. I'd rather be in 2149 than here, paradise my ass" the other said bitterly opposite where Malcolm said. Malcolm kept his head down and just listened.

"Yeah, they are living it rich in that colony. Oh man! did you see those five houses go up on the east perimeter?"

"Yeah that was sweet" the one next him said in appreciation. Malcolm felt his stomach twist in fear as he knew Kate had been checking the newly constructed houses that morning. Cold dread and nausea rolled over him and he felt the bile rise but quickly swallowed it back down.

"Apparently the 2016 woman was in there"

"Bout time that bitch died, shame though she had a tight body wouldn't mind a go at that. If you know what I mean"

Malcolm felt the urge to punch the man for comment but knew it would not help him nor would it accomplish anything. He wasn't a violent man anyway. He just had to survive. So he blocked out the men's voices and laughter and told himself that he did not know for sure if Kate was dead and given her record for dying. It was a sure bet that she was still alive and she would come for him.

* * *

"Where's the fire?" Alicia asked. She couldn't be bothered bargaining or arguing with Ellyas. She was better off not trying to piss him off. It was not easy for her to surrender but she had to think of more than herself. Her Father always said to know when to pick your battles. But she was surprised the man wasn't torturing her to an inch of her life.

Ellyas was unstable, she knew. She should as she lived with the man for over 6 months. She had met him at a children's charity dinner, she was clad in a red floor length gown with a thigh high slit. Her hair styled up and her ears and neck adorned in diamonds. She never felt so beautiful, so powerful in her life at the time. It was intoxicating until she learned how superficial it all was.

~Flashback~ 7 months into the mission, San Francisco Dome.

Alicia flicked her fringe out of eyes and fixed her concave bob before she opened the door to the beautiful 4 bedroom house. Shame none of it was real or that she could keep it or the wardrobe.

She smoothed the creases out of her canary yellow dress that looked as though she had been poured into it fitted her so well. It was sleeveless with a boat neckline, a black belt cinched at her waist accentuating her lithe hourglass figure with a pencil skirt bottom that finished at her knees and black patent leather peep toe stiletto. She wore a little make up besides a bit of blush and eyeliner and mascara. No jewellery except for a diamond bracelet.

Her cover as a concierge doctor to rich and wealthy who liked to remain anonymous made it affordable to wear expensive clothes. It was the reason Ellyas liked her as she was versatile for all his needs. She was counting down the days until she back in fatigues and boots. She told herself once she went back she could forget this life. It could be just a bad dream. She was living a life of luxury and all she wanted was to be a soldier not Doctor Barbie pandering to a psychopath's fantasy.

She hated herself, she hated her decision and the D.O.D. who wouldn't pull her out of the mission. She hated McClellan who kept playing her and twisting her mind into making it seem like this was all worth it.

They had everything they wanted and now they wanted her to stay permanently at Ellyas's side as the man was in love with her. The longer she stayed the more Ellyas opened up to her but she wanted out.

It was true she had played on Ellyas's affections and rose within the ranks quickly as his arm candy. But everyday she was called by her cover name the more she felt she was losing herself. She looked in the mirror and couldn't recognize herself anymore. She had compromised herself by becoming involved with Ellyas but told herself the information she passed onto the D.O.D. was worth it. She had whored herself out to get closer to the information. She told herself it would save lives but it didn't make her hate herself any less. She opened the door and plastered on a smile as she smelt the smoke of a lit cigar in the air and knew he was home.

"Hello Darling, I thought you'd be at the Gentleman's Club for dinner tonight with Eric and Peter" Alicia said as she kicked off her heels and joined him on the couch in the lounge room.

"No, I received some bad news today" he said looking a mixture of sad and angry, he didn't look at her as he spoke and she could feel the anger roll off him in waves.

"Scotch?" he asked as he got off the couch and went to the bar.

"Sure. So this bad news… Does this mean you'll be going away?" She asked as she got up from the couch to join him at the bar. She took the cigar from his hand and took a couple of puffs.

"No, it requires my immediate attention though" he said. Alicia placed the cigar in the ash tray on the bar so he could hand her a glass of scotch.

"Anything I can help with?" Alicia asked with a smile. He had let her into his side of the business when he had someone who needed medical attention but didn't want to sign into a hospital etc. She took a long sip of her scotch as she ran a hand down the front of his shirt.

"I do believe so" he said, he watched her as she finished the scotch and placed the glass on the bar. She moved in for a kiss but stopped as her world started to kilter. She felt like she had drank 15 shots straight instead of one. Ellyas caught her face with his hands.

"Are you feeling ok?" he asked innocently. He quickly caught her as her legs gave out. She tried to reply but her world slowly blacked out before she could.

* * *

"Wakey Wakey" Ellyas said, Alicia coughed and sputtered from the pollution and foul odour of the smelling salts as they roused her from unconsciousness. She tried to move but found her movements impeded as her wrists and ankles were strapped to the edges of a metal table. She looked up and saw Ellyas wearing a rebreather looking down at her. She swore she could see tears in his eyes and true sadness. Alicia felt panic and fear grip her as she struggled to breathe in the polluted air.

"Where are we? Is this some kind of joke?" Alicia asked before coughing, she had to maintain her cover. She pulled on the restraints, she was still wearing her dress but her shoes and accessories were gone. She could tell by the architecture she was in the basement of an old house probably out in some long forgotten and abandoned town.

"I wish it was" He said as he brandished a knife. Alicia started to panic, she had seen his handiwork with a blade. He turned her right arm so her palm was facing up. "I really do hope Edmonton is wrong about you."

"What are you doing?" She asked him as she knew he was going to cut out her tracker once it was out that was the end. She would be lost and the D.O.D. would write her off.

"I'm finding your tracker dear. Ah here it is" he said as found the small scar line.

"That's my implant for birth control" she told him vainly hoping he wouldn't cut it out. But Ellyas didn't care his mind was made up.

"No it's not." Ellyas told her, Alicia cried out in pain as she felt the blade sink into her upper arm like a hot knife through butter. She passed out before it was even removed.

* * *

48 hours later,

Alicia screamed out in agony as the electrical current coursed through her body. When it stopped she slumped back onto the table. Ellyas walked up to her and tapped her face to keep her conscious. He had brought in an air filter for the room, it didn't do a very good job but it circulated just enough fresh air to make the air breathable without choking.

"Come on, you've lasted this long. Don't give in yet" he said the only reason she was still alive was that he kept reviving her. SERE training felt like a holiday in comparison. He wiped the sweat from her face in a loving gesture. He'd been asking that question over and over, but she didn't answer. Her training said to remain quiet when maintaining her cover was no longer possible. She was a good soldier she followed orders even if she didn't know why anymore.

"Just kill me" She begged him, she just wanted it all to be over. He clicked his tongue at her. Alicia rolled her head to the side, closing her eyes. She felt nothing but the agony, the pain but even that was hollow. She was lost, when she didn't check in they would leave her to rot in this hole with Ellyas.

"I can't I love too much" he told her.

"Then stop this please" she pleaded, it seemed instead of him being sympathetic he grew angry instead.

"No, you betrayed me to your government. I thought you were my soul mate but you're just one of them, you used me. The problem is that I don't know how much you've given them. So we're going to continue this until you tell me everything you told them" he told her.

"You might as well kill me now. I'm not telling you anything" Alicia told him in a dark tone. She couldn't be bothered being the simpering female. Ellyas smiled.

"Finally some progress, I meet the woman behind the mask, the real you. Funny how I still don't even know your real name. I know it's not Lisa Montgomery but what do I call you?" He asked as he walked around the metal table, his fingers tracing her body. Ellyas's phone rang and he sighed as he stepped back to answer it. Alicia watched him as he turned to face her.

"Yes, I'm looking at her right now" he said he smiled as she wanted to know who he was talking to. "Yes, yes" he turned his back and started talking in a low voice, Alicia tried to listen to what he was saying but couldn't hear his voice over the sound of the air filter for the room. After a few seconds he hung up and sighed as he turned back to face her.

"I have some business to attend but I will be back" he told her. She watched as he prepped a syringe he then moved back to her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before he sedated her.

* * *

Alicia drifted off to sleep, she had no idea how long she had been out for but when she woke up she felt something tugging on her ankles and wrists. She opened her eyes and flinched as a soldier in complete black combat gear kept undoing the straps of her restraints.

His identity was covered by a rebreather and helmet. She knew it was Ellyas, he liked to play head games and he always had a contingency plan for everything. He was messing with her. The drugs in her system had a strong hold her but it didn't mean she wasn't going to fight him.

"Relax lady, you're safe" Ellyas taunted her in a convincing American accent. But she wouldn't be fooled. She looked around and saw there were three other soldiers in the room with them. Their guns lowered.

Once her wrists and ankles were released and she summoned all the energy and strength she had knowing she only have one shot and rolled off the metal table. She punched him hard in the solar plexus and then slipped behind him and pulled him into a choke hold with one arm she pulled the Ka Bar knife and held it to his throat. She felt disorientated from the drugs and a slight head rush she didn't remember Ellyas being 6 ft tall but pushed her knee into the back of his forcing him down to her level.

"Hey! Hey! Don't want to kill your boss right?" Alicia told the soldiers who had now gone on the defensive. Her speech slurred from the drugs. Ellyas was giving up too easy but then she did have a knife to his throat. "You wanted to play Ellyas, tell your dogs to stay while you show me the exit door" Alicia said as she dragged the man as her human shield.

"They're not his dogs to order. Now I'd appreciate it if you let my Sergeant go considering we're here to recover you" One of the soldiers in front of her said. Alicia couldn't tell who until one of them stepped forward.

"Excuse me?" she said as she held onto Ellyas, the soldier who stepped forward lowered his weapon before her pulled off his rebreather and helmet. He was a handsome man in his late thirties with reddish brown hair that was going grey at the sides. He looked at her with piercing blue eyes.

"I am Colonel Nathaniel Taylor, the soldier you're holding by knife is Sergeant Williams and while he's a pain in my ass I'd prefer you not to give me anymore paper work for today" Taylor told her. He had strict orders to retrieve a dead body, but here they were with woman who was very much alive and out of mind on drugs.

"It's true lady Sergeant Gareth Williams, Serial number-" Ellyas or who she thought was Ellyas continued talking. Alicia felt her head turn in circles it was all becoming too much for her.

"Shut it Sergeant" Taylor ordered the man in Alicia's hold. Sergeant Williams became silent before Taylor continued to talk in a calm voice to the young woman. "General Philbrick sent us to recover your body but you're looking pretty spry for a dead woman Lt. Washington" he commented her. He motioned to the soldiers to lower their weapons, he saw the anger in her eyes at hearing her own name.

"Where's Ellyas?" She asked.

"In D.O.D. custody, he told us where to find you. D.O.D. were going to leave you here to rot but Philbrick doesn't roll that way. Now release my Sergeant and he'll remove his helmet and rebreather so you can see he's not your enemy." Taylor told her.

"How do I know if you aren't lying? That this isn't some sick joke?" Alicia asked, he could hear how desperate she was for a sliver of hope as she was waning in strength and energy. He wondered how long she had been on that table. By the state of her, he'd say at a week.

"It's not a joke. You can trust me. Just let him go and everything will be ok. You got my word on that Soldier" He told her.

~End of Flashback~

"No fire, just preparing to leave for our next destination" Ellyas commented. Alicia spent the last 4 hours suspended from the branches. She still couldn't move or feel anything. All she could do was hang from her ropes and watch as Ellyas packed and moved equipment and items out of the tree hut to the ground. She had counted at least three other male voices and assumed Phoenix Soldiers.

She felt her fingers begin to tingle as the paralytic was wearing off and could feel her pinky begin to move. She remained calm as she didn't want to excited or give anything away to Ellyas.

* * *

TBC~ Cya all for next update!

P.S. Do we like the flashbacks?


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: I'm not sure about Thermal scopes but the internet told me they can be used in daylight...but for the sake of the story let's pretend it can do all the wonderful things I want it to do! Also Big Thank you to metube, MissCallaLilly and TerraNovafan for your reviews!_

* * *

"I count 20 on the ground and 4 in the 'tree hut' for want of a better descriptive" Kate said on her radio as she looked through a thermal scope of the sniper rifle. She and Carter were about 300 yards away. Kate directed Jim and the soldiers into their positions as Taylor was currently on radio silence on a different channel as he was getting into his position.

"I prefer tree dwelling or cubby house makes me feel young again" Carter said to Kate after she finished her part in the plan, the insane plan that Taylor had cooked up on their way to their current position. They were now waiting for Taylor to click his radio twice to indicate he was ready. Carter was holding onto her safety line as she was precariously hanging off the ledge of a balcony of one of the tree huts. It was not the most comfortable position but it was the only one with a clear line to where Alicia was.

"Don't make me muzzle you" Kate told him. Carter chuckled at her acerbic tone.

"_Kate, any sign of Taylor yet?"_ Jim whispered over the comm.

"He's getting closer, no serious changes of soldier movement" Kate said as she could see the thermal signature of who she assumed to be Taylor doing monkey impressions through the trees. The Sixer Camp's dwellings were all interconnected by bridges or zip lines. The jungle was also very dense in the area which made climbing from one tree to another made Taylor's life easier but Kate's uncomfortable as she had to rely on Carter to not drop her. Trust was not something easily earned or given for Kate. But then Carter needed her alive and letting her drop to her death wouldn't be in his best interests.

"_Copy that_" Jim said.

"So now we wait" Carter stated.

"Yeah in silence" Kate told him.

* * *

Taylor climbed through the branches as quietly as he could, he was just glad it was a windy day otherwise they would have heard him coming a mile away. He looked down into the room below seeing Alicia hang below him by her wrists. His gut twisted in fear and anger as he watched Escher walk up to Alicia. He wondered why Alicia wasn't struggling in bonds trying to free herself, if anything she looked resigned to her fate.

* * *

~Flash back~

"Why am I here?" Alicia asked. She was in her dress uniform standing outside the interrogation room in an undisclosed location. A week passed where she had laid alone in a hospital bed. General Philbrick visited her once but other than that she had no visitors. Then McClellan came to her room and told her to get changed she was being discharged and they needed her for one last thing before she could receive her new orders and transfer papers to her new unit.

"Mr Ellyas has decided he won't cooperate unless he has one last visit with you" McClellan said, Alicia glared at the man.

"You brought me here in my dress uniform? He's not supposed to know who I am!"

"It slipped out in the earlier interrogation-" McClellan didn't get to finish the sentence as Alicia slammed him against the wall and held him in a choke hold.

"Why do I get the feeling you were the one who slipped up?" Alicia growled at him as she pushed her forearm against his neck.

"Lieutenant!" A voice grouched from behind her. Alicia pulled away from McClellan and tried to regain what little composure and dignity she had left. Ellyas had stripped everything she had from her in that room. Alicia straightened her jacket and turned to General Philbrick.

"Not that we all don't want to rough up Agent McClellan but let me tell you the dry cleaning bill to get the blood out of your dress uniform isn't worth it. Understood?" Philbrick said, he chuckled at his own dry humour while Alicia remained as calm as she could. All the restraint and control she had learned in basic training and her own life was failing her as she wanted to beat the Agent to a bloody pulp. He had compromised her identity, who she was to the enemy, the only thing she had left that Ellyas didn't have of her. But it was gone.

"Yes, Sir" Alicia said.

"Good, now due to this regrettable situation of Ellyas finding out your name. Allow me to assure you he's going somewhere he won't coming back from. You're safe but we need his contact list-"

"Black book, he kept it all written down on paper. We want the location and he will only tell you" McClellan said interrupting the General.

"I don't want to see him. If I had my choice I rewind the clock and tell you to take your mission and-"

"We get the picture" McClellan said as he was sure Alicia had many beautiful descriptive words for what she'd do differently. "But we only have 48 hours before we go to extreme torture methods"

"Then take him there" Alicia said, she didn't give a damn about McClellan and Ellyas. He was just one bad guy who was just going to be replaced by another.

"Lieutenant, it's the last time we'll ask you to step out of line. Just do as the man asks" Philbrick said, it was more of an order than a suggestion. Alicia nodded and opened the door.

When she stepped into the room, Ellyas looked up from the table and smiled at her. She looked around the room seeing the cameras and two soldiers standing guaurd. Ellyas sat with his hands cuffed to the table, he looked like he hadn't left the room for a week by the state of his clothes and beard he was sporting. At least he didn't smell like it, obviously they allowed him the small luxuries of food and a shower.

"Lt. Alicia Washington" Ellyas drawled with a smile. Alicia felt the loss of power as it was the only thing she felt she had left that he hadn't had the pleasure of and now it was his rolling off his tongue. It made her feel foreign in her own skin. She kept a stoic face as she closed the door and took a seat opposite him.

"I have to say seeing you dressed in that uniform is really doing things for me. We should have role played you be the strong female officer who uses her feminine wiles and svelte body to seduce the evil man into telling him all his secrets. "He said with a smile before pretending to be shocked. "Oh wait! You've already done that." he looked to one of the soldiers and raised his eyebrows at him.

"You like what you see Soldier? She's really quite something in bed I definitely recommend a roll in the sheets with her if you get the invitation" He told the soldier.

"Are you finished?" Alicia asked Ellyas in a bored tone.

"Not even close with you. Let me guess they gave you the speech of how they are going to throw me into a dark hole and forget about the key. That you are safe? Well they are wrong. I'll get out eventually, may take some time but I'll get out." He told her.

"I'm quaking in my heels" Alicia said dryly.

"You should be because I will make you pay for this." Ellyas said calmly. Alicia felt her anger get the better of her.

"You will make me pay? I think I've paid enough! I have nothing in my life to give you! You have everything you son of bitch!" She said angrily as she slammed the palm of her hand on the table, Ellyas jumped at the noise and at her ire but it didn't stop him from enjoying her display.

"Not everything" he told her.

"Well Good luck. My family is dead, I have no life, no friends and my military career thanks to you is gone. Like I said what could you possibly do to me that I should be scared of? You can't hurt me, so what? You are going to kill me? Because you'd be doing me a favour by putting me out of my misery." She told him, she let him see the defeat and the loss what was the use in pretending she was strong that Ellyas hadn't left his mark. She was so tired. He looked disappointed at her surrender as he sat back in his chair.

"That's it?"

"Pretty much, they brought me in here because you are supposed to tell me where your black book or ledger or whatever you call it where you keep all your contact lists is. Now that you're done threatening to ruin me which you've already succeeded at, why don't you just tell me what the location is" Alicia told him.

~End of the flashback~

* * *

Alicia felt the branch above her dip for a moment and her feet touch the ground, she would have dismissed it as it was probably the wind had started to pick up in the last half an hour. But she felt the branch above her give again seconds later after the first dip. She looked up and her eyes went wide as she watched Taylor above her. He hand-signalled a '6', 'sniper' and to 'go prone' to her, she gave a nod before she quickly looked back to Ellyas and the other soldiers to see they were still pouring over maps.

She was silently counting down the 6 seconds in her head. The paralytic had worn off dramatically in the last hour and luckily Ellyas hadn't clued in that her metabolism was fast to begin with add in the pregnancy well her body was digesting the drugs faster. She could feel every ache and muscle protesting in her arms, shoulders and back. She already made a promise to herself that once she hit the ground she was going free herself of the restraints and kill Ellyas. She knew whoever was behind that sniper gun wouldn't take the shot unless they knew they would hit their target. At least that's what Kate told her when they once discussed it.

Alicia never had sniper training like Taylor and Kate. She had been curious to understand the intricacies of what went through the sniper's mind before they took the shot but even Kate stipulated every person was different. Kate said what she thought before she pulled the trigger was very different from what Taylor would think or even Alicia would think.

_..5..6.._ Alicia finished in her head. She heard the ropes snap and then her body fell to the floor ungracefully as Taylor jumped down into the hut. He gave her a knife quickly before he fired his sonic pistol at one soldier.

* * *

Malcolm sat at the table and looked at the tools and equipment that had been dumped unceremoniously in front of him 10 minutes previously by a Phoenix Soldier before he was ordered to fix the Terminus that now stood to the side of him. The tent flap opened and Mira came in with a tray of food and water. Malcolm couldn't help but cringe at the woman's appearance as half her face was swollen and bruised badly. So badly her right eye was swollen closed.

"Hooper thought you might be hungry" Mira said as she unceremoniously dropped the tray on the table.

"What happened to your face?" Malcolm asked, he thought the Phoenix Soldiers and the Sixers were allies.

"I fell in shower. What do you think happened?" Mira snapped as she sat down in an empty chair in the tent. He watched as the woman shifted taking slow and easy breaths. He could only assume she had broken ribs among other injuries.

"I thought-"

"Well you're wrong. The alliance broke down when Lucas disappeared with his calculations to locate and reopen the portal a few days ago. Thanks to Escher the Sixers are now prisoners and the Phoenix Soldiers are in control. Frat boys with guns, I can't wait for your girlfriend to slaughter them" Mira said with some satisfaction.

"Kate is not like that" Malcolm said.

"Please she's not the girl next door Malcolm and you should be glad of that fact" Mira told him.

* * *

"Damn" Carter said impressed as he watched through his binoculars. Kate had fired a single shot severing the ropes above Alicia's head.

"Lucky shot" Kate commented as she turned her focus to the ground and started culling the number of soldiers on the ground to more manageable number before lifting her rifle back into position to set up her next shot for Taylor's final signal. She was not game to fire into the hut because of the close quarters and how fast those inside were moving with exception of Alicia who was on the floor.

* * *

Taylor dispatched of two soldiers with ease before he turned to parry Ellyas's fist and right hook the man in the face. Ellyas backed up and shook his head trying to clear the fog in his head.

"You're not supposed to be here!" Ellyas growled. The two started fighting it out as Alicia picked up the knife and sliced through the thick rope around her feet first.

Taylor threw a punch but instead of connecting it with Ellyas's face. The man caught his arm with locked it with his own while he drove the palm of his free hand into Taylor's face and punched him in the solar plexus winding him.

Alicia sliced through the last of the rope quickly as she could as she heard the sickly crack of bones breaking and Taylor groaning in pain. When she looked up she saw Ellyas had broken Taylor's upper arm. Ellyas punched Taylor in the face again and threw him to the floor. She pushed to her feet and staggered at first before got her footing. Her muscles complained at the movement but it didn't stop her as she moved towards Ellyas.

"Well I obviously underestimated your strength" Ellyas said as he watched Alicia's determination.

"You always did" Alicia responded before she started swinging her knife at Ellyas, he dodged her swings and caught her knife hand. He pushed her knife arm away and she used the opening landing two hard punches to his flank and face before elbowing him in the face. She went to punch him in the solar plexus but Ellyas caught her fist and quickly twisted her arms into a lock.

* * *

Kate watched through her scope trying to find a clean shot but Alicia kept getting in the way. The woman had been told to lay low. _So much for following orders _Kate thought grimly as she waited for an opening. The zip line for their dwelling activated and someone stepped into their 'hut'.

"Kate?" Jim asked, Kate didn't take her eye from the scope but could see him in her peripheral vision that he was near Carter.

"Taylor's down and Alicia is currently not following orders. I haven't got a clean shot" Kate said updating him. Alicia was currently kicking the man's ass, Kate was glad she was on Alicia's good side as the woman was really punishing Escher. She watched as Alicia headbutted Escher and broke the guy's nose and then kneed him in the groin before trying to slice the man to ribbons with a knife.

"Then just take a shot" Carter said.

"I'd prefer not to kill my best friend" Kate told Carter.

* * *

Ellyas disarmed the knife from her hand and threw her to the floor to where she had fallen earlier in her restraints. She groaned in pain and feigned she was running out of steam. Ellyas was a smug bastard she knew once she was on the ground he was going to kick her. But she was smarter, she waited until he walked up to her body and then attacked she kicked out his legs and then as he hit the floor she kicked him in the head. His head lolled as he groaned in pain.

Alicia then grabbed some of the rope that was nearby and quickly wrapped the rope around Ellyas's neck pulling him up to his knees strangling him. He pulled against her and picked up a knife from the floor just as she pushed her knee into a nerve point in his back pulling him back up. He tried to stab her in the leg. Luckily she saw the flash of the blade and moved her leg and used it to pin his knife arm as she let one hand let go of the rope and she pulled the knife from his hand and tossed it away. She wrapped another length of rope around his neck and pulled hard.

"It's over, just let go" She told him in a dark voice as she pulled tighter on the rope choking him to death. He struggled against her hold and pulling at the rope that was around his neck but it was useless. After a minute his body went limp and he stopped struggling but it took a few seconds before she dropped the rope and snapped his neck for extra measure. She sat back on her feet and looked at her hands that were shaking, tears ran down her face as she wasn't sure what came over her. She forgot about herself when she heard Taylor groan in pain.

She crawled over to Taylor and gently touched his face which was bruised and bloodied.

"Nathaniel" She whispered trying to rouse him. "Wake up please. Nathaniel" she begged he stirred after a few moments of her hovering and opened his eyes. He looked up at her, tears streaked down her face. He sat up quickly and wrapped her up in one arm as the other was broken. She buried her face in his neck and held onto him tightly as she cried.

"I'm sorry" she said as tears streaked down her face "I'm so sorry" she said.

"Shh it's ok, we're ok" he said as he held her tightly with one arm. "Let me look at you" he said pulling back he cupped her face getting a good look at her. He brushed the tears from her face and smiled. "Still beautiful" he said as he surveyed her injuries, Alicia chuckled she was about to say something about how she was anything but beautiful only for Taylor pulled her into passionate kiss.

* * *

"Hello!" Kate said taking her eye off the scope as soon as Alicia and Taylor locked lips giving them some privacy. She didn't need to know where that kiss was leading.

"I think we can say they are ok" Jim surmised as he lowered his binoculars. He pocketed them and held out his hands to Kate to help her back from her current location. Kate handed him the rifle and then with Carter's help moved off the railing into the hut. She shook out her limbs and stretched for a moment.

"Ok one rescue down. One more to go" Carter said as he packed up the rope while Kate dismantled the rifle packing it away.

"How was it on the ground?" Kate asked Jim.

"All good, we have the Rhinos ready to go" Jim said. Kate nodded as she handed the weapons case to Carter to take down the Zip line with him. Carter left them. Kate sunk to her knees and sighed in exhaustion.

"You ok?" Jim asked as he could see her hands were shaking and knew Kate needed to rest not being running around the badlands. Elisabeth had asked him to keep an eye on Kate as she was not in condition to be running around. He asked 'what condition' and Elisabeth pulled the Doctor patient confidentiality card.

"Yeah, I'm just too old to be running around playing soldier" Kate half joked, she stood up and swayed slightly, fatigue hitting her hard. Jim steadied her and she closed her eyes for a moment.

"You sure you can do this? I mean I know you can but you look wrecked" he told her as he held onto her arm to steady her.

"Yeah, I'm just going to need a nap" Kate told him, Jim chuckled as she pulled out her comm. unit. She really didn't want to break up the couple but there were pressing matters at hand. "Commander Taylor, come in" Kate called a few seconds later she repeated the call when Taylor didn't answer.

* * *

"You have to get that" Alicia mumbled between kisses as Kate repeated her hail over the comm. for the fourth time in ten minutes. After she reassured him she felt fine she then tended to him and put a splint on his upper arm and checked him over. Other than a concussion and the broken upper arm he was fine with exception of his need to physically touch and kiss her. She didn't mind indulging him as it was exactly what she needed and wanted herself. Taylor reluctantly pulled away from her and took his comm. unit out of his pocket.

"I'm here" he said looking at Alicia with amorous eyes. There was no mistaking what he wanted to do with her after his arm was strapped properly and Alicia was checked out and freed from the infirmary.

"_I don't want to break up what I'm sure is a beautiful reunion but I would like to debrief quickly then get on the road again._" Kate said her voice was a mix of awkward and amused.

"We'll be on the ground in a minute" Taylor said his eyes never leaving her. He wanted nothing more than to get Alicia back to the colony and on a Bio-bed to make sure everything was alright before taking her back to his…no their house and hold her. But there were still a lot of things that needed to be finished first like getting Malcolm back and the Sixers.

"_Copy that"_ Kate replied. Taylor dropped the comm. unit and ran his free hand through Alicia's hair. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

"Kate sounds impatient" Alicia said.

"Malcolm is in the Badlands with the Sixers and the Phoenix Soldiers. Carter and her have an agreement, I'll tell you everything on our way back to the Colony" Taylor told her.

"Carter?" Alicia said in disbelief as she helped Taylor to his feet.

"Yeah those two have been stuck at the hip since he saved her. Another long story like this will be when you tell me what the hell Escher wanted from you" Taylor said as he gestured to the mess around them.

"It's Ellyas" Alicia said. Taylor looked at her oddly as the name registered but he remembered Philbrick telling him the man was dead. Alicia nodded as she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Why do people have a nasty habit of coming back from the dead?" Taylor asked.

"I don't know but he's definitely not getting up now" Alicia told him.

* * *

"You just had to go and be a hero" Kate said with her hands on her hips when Jim helped Taylor safely off the Zip line. Taylor smiled.

"It's what I do" he told her smugly. Kate laughed and shook her head at him. A second later Alicia dropped down from the trees on the zip line and once she was on solid ground.

"And you!" Kate said pointing at Alicia angrily. Alicia stepped back expecting to be told off instead Kate pulled her into a hug.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" Kate told her as she held onto Alicia tightly. Alicia couldn't help the tears welling in her eyes and blamed it on her hormones and the traumatic hours being tied up.

"I'm sorry?" Alicia said slightly confused as to what she should be apologising for or if she was supposed to at all.

"So you should be! You were supposed stay low what happened to following orders?" Kate told her, she released Alicia and held her by the arms and looked the brunette over. "You ok?" Kate asked.

"Yeah" She said blinking away her tears even Kate had watery eyes and they both laughed at their softness. Jim and Taylor looked at them oddly not sure what was so amusing.

"Good, you guys should get back to the Colony ASAP and see Elisabeth" Kate said.

"We will" Alicia said.

"Also can I just say for the record you have some kick ass moves" Kate said impressed.

"Thanks, you outdid yourself with that shot" Alicia returned.

"Thanks it helped that you weren't wriggling around. Otherwise I would have missed. It's been a while" Kate said. It was true as Kate hadn't picked up a rifle for over 6 months. Of course Alicia and Kate went to the firing range once a week but that was to blow off steam than to practise and hone their skills. But that was just with sonic pistols not the rifle Kate used today.

They moved towards the two Rhinos that were nearby both pointing their nose's in different directions.

"So you going to explain to what this was all about later right?" Kate asked Alicia. The question made Alicia uneasy she didn't like that time of her life in fact she pretended it never happened. Like it was a story she heard in a bar one night.

"I'll tell you when you're thirty" Alicia stated covering up her unease with humour. Kate smiled and shook her head at Alicia but understood.

"Ok, well Carter and I better get going" Kate said when they reached the group of soldiers and Carter.

"I'm not letting you go without backup-" Taylor started but Jim cut him off.

"I'll go. I have been trained in advance long range shooting and the Sixers don't hate me, right?" Jim asked volunteering himself. He looked at Carter who gave a nonchalant shrug that translated to being indifference on the Sixer's behalf on whether they hated Jim or not.

"Ok, but I want it understood only Carter and I are going into the camp. You're just going to cover me when necessary" Kate told him.

"What about me?" Carter asked as he had walked up to join the group.

"Don't you have a whole bunch of friends there to look after you?" Kate asked him.

"Speaking of, can we go now?" Carter asked impatiently.

"Take Kobayashi and Reilly with you as well" Taylor said ignoring Carter's impatience. Kate nodded the two soldiers crossed the invisible line between the Rhinos to Kate's side.

"Ok, if all goes well I'll see you two tomorrow after lunch" Kate said with a smile.

"Just come back" Alicia told her.

* * *

After Taylor and Alicia's Rhino pulled away, the five of them looked at one another waiting until they knew the Rhino was definitely not coming back before Kate spoke up.

"Ok now they are gone. Here's the plan" Kate said, she pulled the plex from out of the pack in the back of the Rhino. She activated the screen and showed them the map.

"Sheriff, you'll be here with the rifle and the Rhino some distance away with Reilly and Kobayashi" Kate said pointing to the map and marking positions on a ridge that overlooked the Phoenix Campsite it was like Escher had planned on making it an easy job for a small army to sneak up undetected on the Phoenix Soldiers.

"That's a fair distance" Jim commented as he knew it would be a lot of running for Kate and Carter who would be going in on foot. IT also meant that it would take him, Kobayashi and Reilly at least a few minutes to join them.

"But it's a good position and we can't risk pulling up closer as the Phoenix Soldiers will hear us" Carter told him.

"Reilly and Kobayashi you'll stay with the sheriff and you're our eyes and ears" Kate said gesturing to Carter and herself. "If shit hits the fan-"

"Which it will" Carter cut in. Kate shot him a look before continuing.

"You wait for my order to engage. If I don't give the order you stay as you are and when the dust settles you go back to the Colony and inform Taylor of what happened. This isn't your fight. Is that clear?" Kate asked them.

"We're not going to leave you behind" Reilly told her.

"I'll probably be dead by then so it won't matter" Kate said pragmatically.

"Let's worry about that if it happens" Jim said as he felt like an argument was about to erupt by the look on Kobayashi and Reilly's faces. Even he was ready to argue that Kate wasn't expendable but he knew that Kate didn't think on the same wave length as he and the others did.

"Right, so Carter and I are going in we'll start the fight. Sixers will have their war and I'll get Malcolm out during the main fight to safety and go from there" Kate said, she left out the part where she was going to go back and help the sixers finish off the Phoenix Soldiers.

"Ok how do you want me to proceed in this plan?" Jim asked.

"Anyone who appears in my blind spot or if I'm not going so well and need cover fire… Feel free. Just be sure when you pull the trigger I'm not in your cross hairs" Kate told him with a wry smile.

"Right so all I have to do is not shoot you" Jim repeated with a smile injecting some levity into the situation.

"Yeah don't shoot me but Carter is fair game" Kate said.

"Hey!" Carter said offended.

* * *

4 hours later, Alicia and Taylor were in the Infirmary. Taylor had fussed over Alicia claiming she should get preferential treatment but caved as he knew he wasn't going to win against the combined forces of Alicia and Elisabeth. After he was treated Alicia traded positions with him on the Bio-bed. Alicia made sure the curtains were closed around the bed for some privacy before Elisabeth proceeded with the scans. Elisabeth was currently reading the results of those intensive scans to make sure nothing was missed when she spoke up.

"You're-" Elisabeth started to say but Alicia cut her off.

"Yeah can we not publicise it?" Alicia asked politely. Elisabeth smiled and nodded as she continued to read over the scans. "Also Kate was doing me a favour. So please don't be too angry with her" Alicia added.

"To be honest I should have known better considering how Kate avoids any kind of talk about her health" Elizabeth said with a smile as she was used to having to push Kate to admit her health issues or order her to lie down for a scan. Just like Alicia who liked to keep her privacy in that regard.

"I assume the nausea has been horrific as Kate said?" Elisabeth asked.

"Horrific is a great word for it" Alicia said as she was feeling nauseous as they spoke.

"Well everything looks perfectly fine." Elisabeth said with a smile.

"Everything?" Alicia asked double checking.

"Yes, here take a look for yourself" Elisabeth said as she made a copy of the scans onto a plex and handed it to Alicia.

"Twins" Alicia breathed as she looked at the results.

"What?" Taylor asked as he wasn't sure he heard Alicia correctly. Elisabeth nodded and smiled.

"And they appear to be in perfect health." Elisabeth said confirming everything Alicia was reading. Taylor looked gobsmacked as he pulled a chair over and sat down.

"Boys or Girls?" Taylor asked.

"It's too early to tell, now Lt Washington I want you to stay overnight for observation just to be on the safe side. We'll also have a private discussion later about what we will next in terms of care etc. but for now I'll give you two some time to talk" Elisabeth said to Taylor as she disappeared behind the closed curtains. Alicia looked to Taylor.

"You ok?" She asked him.

"Not the first time I've been knocked around" he said.

"I was talking about me and the baby-I mean babies" She said in a low voice, she looked equal parts scared and happy. He frowned at her for a moment wondering why she would think he wouldn't be happy.

"Yes, of course I'm ok." He said he quickly moved from his chair to sit on the bed. He grabbed her hand with his and brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. "I just thought it would take months of trying before-"

"Me too" She said with a soft smile.

"We'll have to change our plans though. You will not be going OTG and you're off duty until further notice" He told her in an authoritative tone. Alicia's smile dropped at Taylor killing what was supposed to be a perfect moment.

"What? I'm pregnant not an invalid! You can't just take me off duty and ground me" Alicia hissed as she pushed up on to her elbows looking at him incredulously.

"I'm your commanding officer I can do whatever I like and taking you off duty and the OTG roster is for your protection" he told her. She couldn't believe how quickly he went from being the man she loved to an overbearing and controlling asshole in less than a second. But she lost her anger quickly when she saw his expression turn from professional to the side of him he only showed her. His hand caressed the side her face.

"I'm also protecting myself. I can't go through what I did today ever again" He told her, his voice was thick with emotion. He looked ready to say more but Elisabeth came back into their curtained room. He looked away as he brought his emotions and facial expression under control.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Sgt Guzman says he needs to speak with you Commander" Elisabeth said.

"Tell him I'll be there in a moment" Taylor said to Elisabeth. The doctor nodded before closing the curtains. Taylor leaned over Alicia and kissed her gently.

* * *

Jim touched Kate's shoulder. The young woman's eye snapped open and she looked up at him. For a few seconds she looked wide awake and alert until she realised she was safe and relaxed. He was amazed she had actually slept the whole ride out as it was not the smoothest ride.

"We already there?" Kate asked in a groggy voice.

"Yep, everything is ready except for you" Jim said holding up an armour vest. Kate wrinkled her nose as she hated the armour. It was the functionality of it as it was too bulky.

"Don't make that face at me. Just put it on" Jim told her. Kate sat up from the seats she had been sleeping on and rubbed her face.

"Fine" she said, she took the armour vest. She removed her BDU jacket and pulled the armour vest on and then the arm guards. "I feel like I should be playing American football in this" Kate commented as she climbed out of the Rhino. She pulled on a thigh holster for her side arm and armed herself with a Ka Bar knife before turning to Carter.

"That's it?" he asked her, surprised that she wasn't picking up sonic rifle. Kate took the ear piece for the comm. unit from Jim and stuck on her ear.

"Excuse me for packing light" Kate said dryly as she looked at his get up. He was carrying a sonic rifle and probably a couple of concealed knives but still in his Sixer outfit of ratty clothing.

"Not even a rifle?" He offered.

"Too much noise and it will slow me and you down" Kate said not sure why she was explaining herself to Carter of all people. "We'll be collecting arms on the way so hand over the rifle" she told him.

"You're no fun" Carter told her as he handed the rifle to an amused Jim.


	7. Chapter 7

"So I assume Kate passed along all the information I gave her to you?" Elisabeth asked as she pulled up a seat next to Alicia's bed.

"Yeah she did" Alicia said.

"I'm not angry, I completely understand why you want to not come forward. But you can't keep it a secret forever" Elisabeth said.

"I know, I'm going to show a lot sooner" Alicia said.

"Well we should discuss medical care considering your age and the fact you are having multiple pregnancy it does increase the risks of preeclampsia, high blood pressure, anaemia etc. I'm boring you" Elisabeth said with a smile.

"No, I just know all of this. Medical degree and I read up on it" Alicia said and she had read up on everything she felt she needed to know when Kate had made noise that if Alicia had twins she would show a lot sooner which would make Kate happy since she'd win 20 terras.

"Well then you don't need me to tell you that it's probably best you cut down your work hours, stress, and that you should rest when you need to. It's hard work carrying one child. Two is twice the amount of work" Elisabeth said tongue in cheek.

"Taylor and I will discuss it. I'm thinking I'll cutting down to 20 hours a week and take maternity leave when I reach 28 weeks as I really don't want to take any unnecessary risks or worse go into premature labour in the Command Centre. It will also give us time to get ready and to enjoy the 'experience'" Alicia said with a smile though she could not wait for the morning sickness to be over.

* * *

"Sit down!" Kate hissed at Carter as she grabbed the back of his pants by the belt and pulled him back to the ground. "I'm in charge of this op. you will take my orders like a good little soldier or I'll kill you myself" Kate told him in a low voice.

"Yes Ma'am" Carter said with a sly smile in an equally low voice as they had made it into one of the tents where three soldiers had been sleeping. Carter and Kate had fixed that problem quietly. Kate disliked such tactics but it was better to cull the numbers of their enemy when they could then have to deal with a larger number later.

They were now watching the movements of the soldiers outside the tent waiting for an opening for them to move to the next tent.

"_You're clear to move now"_ Reilly said over the Comm.

* * *

"You finally made it" Mira said when Kate and Carter appeared in the tent that was holding the sixers. Kate pulled the sonic weapons off her shoulder to those with free hands.

"I was expecting more of you" Kate said as she only counted ten people. She looked back at Mira and wondered if they could even mount a fight considering they were all injured in some shape or form. "You sure you guys are capable of fighting?" Kate asked.

"This coming from a woman who took down six men after she came back from the dead?" Mira asked dryly as she took a weapon.

"I had a nap between my being revived from the dead and the killing of those soldiers in question" Kate said awkwardly as she didn't like to talk about that time. Well she didn't like to talk about the past full stop unless it was a funny story.

"Lucky you had a nap before coming here" Carter said with a serious expression. Kate tried not to laugh as the guy was amazing at keeping a straight face.

"Ok, can we move on? Where are they holding Dr Wallace? Once he's safely out of the camp I'll help you clean up" Kate said.

"That wasn't the deal" Mira said looking displeased.

"It's the deal now" Carter stated, Mira eyed him for a moment before looking to Kate.

"What other amendments have been made?" Mira asked as Kate moved to the tent flap and peeked outside.

"We'll discuss them when this is over. Just consider me a representative of Commander Taylor" Kate said, she held up her hand for a moment to stop the conversation. Mira watched as Kate touched her ear listening to whatever she was being told.

"Ok so what is your brilliant plan?" Mira asked when Kate lowered her hand and gave Mira her attention.

"Your people have their war and I get Dr Wallace out to safety. Once he's clear I'm come back and help you clean up like I said before. Then we all sit down and have a chat about the future. Agreed?" Kate asked Mira. The sixer considered her options and then nodded.

"Agreed, he's five tents over. It's heavily guarded" Mira told her.

"I'll worry about that, you guys just hold up your end of the plan" Kate told them before disappearing.

* * *

Malcolm held the chem-light over the fried circuitry of the terminus. He had done an excellent job of ruining it that he wasn't so sure he could repair it. At least not out in the badlands with the antiquated resources at hand. The reality was he needed his lab and a workshop to fabricate new parts but he'd put on a good show for as long as he could.

He sighed as he pulled out another tray of fried circuitry and tossed it on the table behind him when Hooper walked in with three soldiers.

"How does it look?" Hooper asked him.

"It looks salvageable but it's going to take a while" Malcolm said.

"You have a month before we start to make things unpleasant" Hooper told him.

"How generous" Malcolm said dryly. Hooper opened his mouth to say something when a loud alarm sounded. Soon the air filled with cries of men and weapons fire.

_"The Sixers are escaping"_ came over Hooper's radio.

* * *

All hell broke loose as Kate had accidently made herself visible to a couple of guards. She took them down easily with two blasts. But not before the alarm was sounded. It triggered flood lights on the camp which made her job of being inconspicuous extremely difficult.

Luckily the Sixers joined the fight before Kate had to take on a whole group of Phoenix soldiers. She grabbed the arm of a soldier who was trying to attack her and pistol whipped him with the butt of her gun before she back kicked the soldier trying to get her from behind. She turned to the guy she kicked in the stomach and the round house kicked him in the head. He fell to the ground unconscious.

Kate barely turned to continue on her way to the tent Mira said Malcolm was being held when she was hit square in the chest with stray sonic blast. She fell onto her back her chest constricted painfully as struggled to breathe. She felt paralysed by the pain and the fear as her heart pounded hard in her chest as it was working overtime. Her mind screamed at her to move to breathe but her body refused to move or let her do anything.

* * *

"Come on Kate. Get off the ground" Jim ordered through his radio, he watched Kate as she laid on the ground desperately trying to breathe. He had been laying down cover fire as soon as the alarm sounded. But now she was lying on the ground after taking a hit to the chest. He could see she was still breathing but she hadn't pulled herself off the ground that made his stomach churn as he worried what was happening to her. He didn't like how this plan was turning out.

"Just give her a moment, she's just winded" Reilly said as she was waiting for Kate to get up.

"Kate respond" he said, he kept firing his weapon and taking down the soldiers trying to reach her. "If she doesn't get up in the next 10 seconds you guys are going in" Jim told Kobayashi and Reilly.

* * *

Kate watched as the soldiers fall down around her and Jim's voice in her ear. "_Kate, give me a sign you're ok_" Jim said in her ear. She felt her lungs give and the air rush into her, she coughed and sputtered before she rolled onto her side and activated her comm..

"I'm here" Kate croaked after a couple of breaths.

"_You need us down there?"_

"No, stay as you are" She said before she sat up. When she did she cried out in pain as her chest burned with pain but blocked it out as best as she could as she picked up her gun and got to her feet and stumbled a few steps before she found her feet again.

* * *

"Sounds like your men are losing out there Major" Malcolm said calmly as he could as Hooper held a gun to his head.

"I still hold the trump card. Sixers won't hurt me as lo-" Hooper didn't finish the sentence as one of the soldiers standing at the flap of tent cried out in pain. Malcolm and Hooper watched in horror as the man crumpled to the ground with the blade of a machete knife sticking out of his chest. Behind him stood Kate who didn't waste time in disarming the second soldier and breaking his arm and using him as a human shield as Hooper fired at her. She dropped her human shield and held her gun directed at them. Hooper pointed his gun back at Malcolm's head using him as a human shield.

"Don't even think about it or I'll scramble your boyfriend's brains" Hooper said as he kept his head behind Malcolm's as he held Malcolm to him. "Put your weapon down" Hooper told her.

"No, this time it's over" Kate told him. She was just waiting for the perfect shot and then Hooper moved his head and she pulled the trigger.

* * *

Taylor watched Alicia sleep on the bio-bed in front of him. He couldn't sleep for many reasons. He was worried about the future, he was worried about the colony, and he was worried about his people still out in the Badlands.

He had to admit he was happy he and Alicia were going to finally start the life they had been dreaming about for so many years. But he was also scared he felt he had screwed up badly with Lucas. He had been there for Ayani and Lucas as much as he could but it had not been enough given his demanding career. He was not going to make the same mistakes again.

"What are you thinking so intensely about?" Alicia asked breaking his reverie. He focused on her and smiled.

"Just the future and how I will do things differently" he said in a low voice as he looked her. Alicia looked at him slightly confused as her brain was still fogged with sleep.

"I want to know my children"

"You're not making any sense" Alicia said as she sat up in the bed. She rubbed her face so she would wake up properly as she felt this was a conversation she needed to be awake for.

"Lucas-"

"You have to stop punishing yourself Nathaniel. There comes a point where a child will make their own decisions and decide who they are. You were a good father to him and you will be for our children" Alicia told him.

"How can you have so much faith in me?" he asked as he watched her slide out of the bed and moved to sit in his lap. She was careful of his broken arm as she faced him and cupped his face making him look up at her.

"Because I know you, you're the man who saved a broken woman over ten years ago…"

~Flashback~

One year after Ellyas gave up his black book and disappeared, Alicia stood in Colonel Nathaniel Taylor's office.

"You don't come with any glowing recommendations Lieutenant. Tell me why you deserve a chance in my unit" Taylor said from his chair as he sat at his desk. General Philbrick asked a favour of him to take the woman into his unit and straighten her out. They needed all the soldiers they could get especially soldiers with medical training. Lt Washington's Jacket read like a dream to any leader until you got to her previous year of conduct.

She did her work yes, but she wasn't a team player, she was insubordinate, passive aggressive and just plain aggressive when it came to sparring classes. She had anger issues. He could feel the anger roll off her in waves as she stood in his office.

"I don't, Sir" Alicia said as she stood in a relaxed military stance. Her past year had been her worst. She struggled trying to pull herself together and still couldn't believe why she hadn't been given a dishonourable discharge.

"Something we can agree on" Taylor said as he flicked through the thick file of disciplinary notes and write ups in Lt Alicia Washington's file. She was a far cry from the perfect soldier. He remembered from the mission over a year ago. Her hair was longer now. Obviously she was carrying that time around with her like heavy baggage. Obviously she had forgotten him as she showed no signs of recognition when she walked in. He would give her a chance but he wasn't going to go easy on her. He closed the file and looked at her.

"You want out of the military?" he asked her.

"No, sir" She replied adamantly.

"Then why do I have a file as thick as my thumb saying you do?" he asked, he then saw a flicker of uncertainty something he despised as it was weakness when it came to combat. He waved a hand dismissively.

"Actually don't answer that. To be honest I don't care for excuses. You will report to me 0400 everyday for the next 4 weeks to shape up, I'm not a patient man nor will I be as forgiving as your former leaders. If you give me lip or disgrace me or my unit. I will personally kick your ass out of the Military. Am I understood?" He asked her.

"Yes, Sir" Alicia answered.

~End of Flashback~

"The same man who kicked me in the ass until I got my act together. I really hated you back then" Alicia told him with a chuckle. Even Taylor chuckled it was true, he had been hard on her for the first two years she was in his unit but it was what she needed at the time.

"Fine line between hate and love" He told her.

"Well the hate turned into respect and many years later it was love. But that's beside the point you are a good man Nathaniel Taylor. It's one of the many reasons why I love you" Alicia told him before she lowered her lips to his.

* * *

Hooper's body dropped to the floor behind Malcolm. Malcolm stared at Kate in pure fear as she stood in front of him her gun still raised. In that moment she was completely unrecognizable to him before Malcolm could react or say anything the tent flap open.

Kate turned on her feet, she had her finger on the trigger only to pause when she saw Mira and Jim standing with their hands up in surrender. She lowered her weapon, feeling like she had saved Malcolm only to lose him. She recognised the look in his eyes well.

"You don't mess around" Mira commented as she stepped into the tent looking at the three dead bodies. She stepped out of the tent and ordered for the bodies to be taken away. A few seconds later the bodies were gone only the blood stains remained on the floor.

"No, I don't" Kate told her as she looked at Malcolm who was currently looking anywhere but at her. Tears filled her eyes as she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"You two should get checked out by our medic" Mira said to Malcolm and Kate.

"I'll be fine, once we get out of here" Malcolm said, he left the tent leaving Jim stunned as he expected to have to use a bucket of cold water to break the two apart. Malcolm had looked like he was ready to be sick while Kate looked ready to keel over and cry. It was far from what he had expected.

"I just need some water if you could spare it. I can't go back to the Colony looking like this" Kate said to Mira in a strained voice as she looked down at her hands that were covered in dirt and dried blood.

"I'll be right back" Mira said she left Jim and Kate alone in the Tent.

"I think we should let the Sixers pack up this junk" Kate said making conversation as she gestured to broken Terminus and the gear stolen from the Colony.

"We'll let them take the Terminus but the tools and this stuff we'll take. I'll get Malcolm to decide what's worth packing" Jim said, Kate nodded. "What happened in here?" he asked.

"I don't know" Kate said as tears streaked down her face, she turned away from him and pulled off her arm guards and tossed them on the table. She turned back to Jim and he could see the pain in her eyes. "No, I do know what happened. I got to the tent and saw the shadows of the soldiers' feet. I killed one with a machete I acquired along the way and the other I disarmed and Hooper shot and then I shot Hooper. Then you and Mira came in, damn this stupid zipper won't open!" Kate said angrily, she tugged on the zipper of armour jacket but in her current state it wouldn't budge. She was breathing erratically and felt light headed as the last of the adrenalin in her system left.

"Here, let me try" Jim offered as he closed the gap between them. He was worried as Kate was not keeping it together very well. Apparently 6 months of being idle had taken it's toll on her ability to do her old job with the ease she used to. She dropped her hands from the zipper and allowed him access.

"You want to talk about it?" Jim asked as he opened the zipper and helped her out of the jacket. Kate hissed in pain as she pulled her arms out of the jacket.

"No, I just need a minute to straighten myself out" She told him as she sat down on the first chair she could find in the tent. Jim tossed the jacket onto a table nearby and crouched down in front of Kate who was slowly calming down. She was taking slow, measured breaths. With each passing breath he could see she needed to lie down as exhaustion seeped into her features.

"Looks like you're not so invincible after all" Carter commented as he came into the tent. Kate flipped him the one finger salute which made Jim smile and Carter laugh. At least she still had a sense of humour.

"You look like crap" Kate said as she leaned back in the chair. She looked Carter over noting that he had a bruised cheek and busted lip along with a few cuts and slices and a bandage across his upper arm.

"You're no beauty yourself" Carter said as he placed a canteen of water on the table near Kate along with a wash cloth and a med kit. "Let's check you out" Carter said as he pulled one of her arms away from her torso.

"Excuse me?" Kate asked as she looked at him with a quirked eyebrow as she pulled her arm from his grasp and wrapped it under her bust supporting her ribs.

"I'm a field medic" Carter informed her.

"And I'm a prima ballerina" Kate replied sarcastically. She was pretty sure the closest Carter had been to medical training was sleeping with a woman who had taken a first aid class.

"And I'll leave you two to sort this out while I check on Malcolm and the others" Jim said he got to his feet, Kate nodded while Carter waited for him to leave. When Jim was gone Carter turned his attention to Kate.

"So just tell me where the boo boos are and I'll kiss them better" Carter told her as his hands moved in to start to examine her.

"Medic, my ass. You just want to cop a feel" she said as she slapped his hands away she tried to get up but found her body really didn't want to move so she gave up and sank in the chair groaning in pain.

"Just let me help you I promise I won't feel you up" Carter said frankly. She eyed him for a moment. "Too much just where necessary" he added. Kate chuckled and groaned as her ribs protested the movement. She looked at him and caved in as she was in too much pain not to accept the help.

"I think I have at least 3 broken ribs, many bruises and few cuts and nicks. But I would appreciate it if you could help me strap my ribs for car ride home and-"

"Wash the blood and dirt off your face and arms. You do look pretty scary" he offered. Kate nodded as she loathed it was Carter but then it wasn't like anyone else was lining up. "You do realise I will have 'feel' you up to do all that" he reiterated to her so she understood what she was asking him to do.

"I'll let you know when you're in a red zone" she told him. Carter laughed as he got the canteen of water.

* * *

"Malcolm" Jim said when he finally found the guy standing at the edge of the camp near where the Rhino was. Malcolm looked at him with a slightly vacant stare. "You ok?" Jim asked casually.

"Yeah, thanks for coming for me" Malcolm said, he said as if Jim had gotten him a cup of coffee not saved his life.

"Well I'd like to take the credit but it was all Kate and Carter" Jim said. He couldn't believe he was giving credit to a Sixer one he crash tackled his second day in Terra Nova and stopped from killing Taylor.

"Hmm, so when do we leave?" Malcolm asked. Jim blinked in disbelief and shook away the anger he felt as he had to remember that everyone reacted differently in extreme circumstances.

"In the next hour, Kate has to report back to Taylor as soon as possible. So if you want to wait here I'll gather the troops" Jim said.

* * *

"What's the deal?" Mira asked Kate when Carter had finished cleaning Kate up. He only got clipped over the head twice when his hands strayed when he was helping bandage her ribs. Carter had tried to give her Asimeth for the pain but she refused as she really wanted a hot shower and a stiff drink.

"You radio when you about 4 hours out from the colony with the Terminus and all the supplies. Use them to barter and agree on the terms and conditions of surrender. Commander Taylor's terms are fair but if you think it is unacceptable then you can go to the jungle and take the supplies and that hunk of metal with you. But this war between the Sixers and the Colony is over" Kate told her.

Mira eyed her for a moment before nodding. Kate really didn't care anymore as she just wanted to go home and forget the whole day ever happened. She was just exhausted.

"You should stay with us. You're in no condition to be making the long ride back to the Colony" Carter told her even he could see how fatigued she was.

"As lovely as the badlands are I just want to go home" Kate said, she also really wanted that hot shower and the stiff drink. But the one drink was turning into a bottle as she knew after riding eight hours in a Rhino on rough terrain with Malcolm not looking at her. She would definitely need a bottle to numb any and all pain.

"You'll take Carter with you" Mira told Kate.

"I don't take orders from you" Kate told Mira.

"He's a gift from me to you. I don't need you puncturing a lung and dying when the Rhino hits a bump in the road. Keeping you alive is in my best interests" Mira said.

"Thank you" Kate said as she held out her hand to the woman. Mira shook it and then she started to slowly walk out of the tent. The camp was in full motion as the half the Sixers were clearing away the Phoenix Soldier's remains to burn and the other half were pulling down the tents they didn't need and packing vehicles getting ready for when they would leave. Kate had to admit they were an industrious bunch.

"You are walking like an old man, at least let me give you a shot of asimeth. You'll have a blast and not feel a thing" Carter said as and Mira were walking beside her to the Rhino where Malcolm and Jim were talking.

"Pass, 2149 drugs and I do not mix well. I told you this already" Kate told him. Last thing she needed was to lose her head and say stupid things while off her head on drugs.

"Hey where are the others?" Kate asked Jim.

"Helping the sixers out with taking down the tents and the wounded. They will join us shortly. I was just going to grab a few things before we go" Jim said looking between Mira, Carter not so subtly saying they should all find a different occupations so Kate and Malcolm could have a moment.

"Carter and I will help you Sheriff" Mira said.

Kate couldn't believe how quickly they all disappeared to their tasks giving Kate and Malcolm some privacy.

"Has someone checked out that head wound?" Kate asked Malcolm as she lightly gestured to his head. Malcolm touched his bump and shrugged.

"It's fine" he said as he could barely look at her. Kate felt her stomach twist into knots as this was not how she pictured their reunion.

"Are you ok?" she asked him.

"I'll be fine" he said not looking at her. she bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them she looked at him, tears burned the back of her eyes.

"Could you look at me? please" Kate asked him, desperation tinted her voice as she needed him to smile and look at her and make her feel that everything was going to be alright. That he had overcome the shock he had in the tent. That the look he gave her then was by accident. But instead He gave a sigh and when he finally looked at her, she felt her heart break.

He looked at her like she was something… not a person but a 'thing' he did not recognise nor want to be in the presence of as she horrified him. Tears filled her eyes but her face became stony as she realised exactly how everything was going to go. She gave a brief nod accepting the consequence of her nature.

"Right, it's ok" She told him in a low voice. Malcolm opened his mouth to speak but Kate held up a hand stopping him. "I get it, please just stay here. I need to -" she didn't finish the words as she turned on her feet and walked away. She covered her mouth as she tried to calm the upheaval in her. Today was was a bad day.

She didn't make it far before Jim, Carter and Reilly stepped in her way.

"Hey the rhino…is that way" Jim had started out in an amused tone until he saw her tears. Kate nodded and wiped her face quickly. He exchanged looks with others for a moment.

"I know I was going to get a drink of water" Kate said lamely. It wasn't like she could say she needed to find a quiet space to have a breakdown. Carter held a canteen out to her.

"Here, have some of mine. Save yourself a walk" he offered.

"Thanks" Kate said, after a couple long pulls she handed it back to Carter.

"So Kobayashi- Kate are you ok?" Jim asked Kate swayed on her feet and looked at Carter like she was going kill him..

"Carter I'm going to ki-" Kate didn't finish the sentence before she closed her eyes and her knees buckled. The three of them immediately went to catch her but Carter caught her first before she fell and smile at Jim and Reilly as he pulled Kate's unconscious body up.

"Tell me you didn't" Jim said in a disapproving tone to Carter.

"Didn't lace my water with asimeth?" Carter asked innocently Jim and Reilly nodded in unison to which the man gave a sheepish grin. "It was just a few drops, she wasn't lying about her and 2149 drugs not mixing well." Carter commented as he pulled Kate up into his arms bridal style. Jim stepped forward and checked Kate's pupils and breathing. He was trying his best to remain calm in the absurd situation.

"She's still breathing, pulse strong. Taylor won't be impressed" Jim told Carter.

"Don't care but I do think she said she was going to kiss me" Carter said with a smile. Jim covered his face with his hands and shook his head while Reilly rolled her eyes.

"I think she was going to say 'Carter I'm going to kick your ass' and I can't wait for that one" Reilly said.

"We'll see when she wakes up" Carter said as he carried Kate to the Rhino.

* * *

8 hours later,

"I think this schedule will work, just have to get Jim to agree with it but I'm sure he won't mind" Taylor said approvingly as he and Alicia had spent the better part of the morning since Alicia's release from the infirmary working in the Command Centre. They were the only two in the command centre as all the soldiers were either sleeping or patrolling the perimeter.

They had discussed and were now in the process of finalising their plans for the next 8 months or so. It wasn't set in stone but it gave them a good direction what they wanted and needed to do. Not just personally but professionally as well.

"Who do you think Jim will have as his Deputy?" Alicia asked with a smile. She thought it was a good joke that Jim asked for a Deputy. It was really only a matter of time. She shifted in the guest chair opposite Taylor's desk and made herself comfortable.

"Probably Novak from Agriculture that's if he can convince the man to pick up a gun" Taylor said. Novak was an ex-marine, who was in the corps for 3 years before an honourable discharge and wining a lotto draw to Terra Nova a year after being a civilian. Alicia pulled a face.

"Novak? I hope not. That guy has a stick up-"

"It's Jim's choice and he can't take anyone from the current military population" Taylor said.

"Fair call we need every able body we have. Do you think it's bad we have everything scheduled and contingency plans?" Alicia asked. They had been making plans for Alicia's pregnancy and time off along with what they needed to do at his house to get it ready.

"I'm sure it will go out the window at the first sign of trouble" Taylor said, Alicia shot him a dark look. "It will be fine" he reassured her, he found her uncertainty and need to plan everything down to a 'T' incredibly adorable.

He would have said none of it mattered and to relax but he didn't think Alicia would appreciate it. He was just happy that he was going to be around for it unlike when Ayani was pregnant with Lucas. He had been on tour for a year and missed out on not only the whole pregnancy but the birth as well. He was looking forward to the experience and being around to help and go to appointments.

"I just want everything to run as smoothly as possible" Alicia said with a sigh.

"It will, when do you want to start telling people?" Taylor asked.

"Well I figured after I step down from Second in command. People are going to ask why. Might as well tell them the truth" Alicia said pulling a face as she was not ready to see the reaction from colonists.

"I want us to get married right away" Taylor said.

"Small, private ceremony with a quick exchange of vows and rings followed by a weeklong honeymoon?" Alicia asked hopefully. She really liked the idea of a long honeymoon and the shortest wedding possible. She really wasn't into the whole big weddings and white dresses thing.

"Sounds like a plan but where are we going to go for our weeklong honeymoon?" he asked.

"Well since I'm not allowed to go OTG. We'll just have to put up a 'do not disturb' sign on your front door, then lock it and barricade ourselves in" Alicia said with a salacious smile.

"What about Kate?" Taylor asked.

"She can stay over at Malcolm's. It's not like she doesn't already sleepover at his place. They can play house for a week. Maybe they'll get hitched next" Alicia told him. Taylor laughed and shook his head. He was about to say something when his comm. unit activated.

"Taylor here go ahead" Taylor said.

"_Hey it's Shannon, we're about half an hour out and I'm calling as we will need a medical team on standby"_ Jim said.

Alicia pulled out her comm. unit and made the call for a team to be ready and for the main gate to be open.

"Consider it done. Can you tell us your situation?" Taylor asked.

"_Kate was beaten up pretty badly and Carter took it upon himself to medicate her. I'm sure it's fine but better safe than sorry right?"_ Jim asked casually. Something about his tone made Taylor think the man was glad he was Taylor over the comm. waves than to his face.

"Right, we'll be waiting for you, Taylor out"

"_Copy that"_

* * *

Half an hour later. Taylor, Alicia and Elisabeth were standing in the square when the Rhino pulled in. They opened the back of the Rhino, Reilly and Jim jumped out followed by Carter. They all looked in good shape. Well Carter had a bruised cheek and a busted lip but he still looked healthy.

"Commander" Jim said in greeting as he moved out of the way for Elisabeth to climb in. Taylor and Jim moved to the side to talk while Elisabeth moved to Kate's side and checked the woman's pulse. She gave a sigh of relief as it was strong and steady.

"I put a little something my canteen water and gave it to her." Carter said from outside the Rhino standing next to Alicia who looked at him unimpressed.

"Why did you drug her?" Alicia asked as she moved him out the way so Elisabeth's team could pull Kate out on a stretcher.

"Hi, I'm good by the way. How are you Lieutenant?"Carter asked.

"Healthy. Now why did you drug her?" Alicia asked.

"She was being difficult" Carter said. Alicia look at him incredulously, she felt there was more to the story but decided to wait for Taylor before asking twenty questions. Elisabeth moved out of the rhino and directed the team and Kate on the Stretcher before she looked around.

"Where's Malcolm?" Elisabeth asked curiously as she would have thought the man would hovering around Kate making sure she was being taken care of but he was nowhere in sight.

"Don't know, don't care" Carter told Elisabeth. Alicia gave Elisabeth the look of 'I'm on it'. Elisabeth nodded and followed her team into the Infirmary.

"Why aren't you with the other Sixers?" Alicia asked him.

"Mira wants me here to watch over Kate. We Sixers like her. Anymore questions?" Carter asked innocently as he looked like he wanted to follow Kate who was being carried into the infirmary.

"Yeah I've got plenty" Alicia said.

* * *

TBC~ See ya all next week.

_A/N: TerraNovafan- answer to your question the third story will not have Kate as it will be a different alternate universe! as I want to go a different direction with the other characters etc. Though I have questions for you! Since you asked for the story and have rough idea of age.. did you also want a specific type of physical appearance- skin tone, height, eye colour, hair colour etc…a name? Let me know otherwise I'll just make it up. :-)_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Thank yous to all the story alerts, favourites and for reading! Also a big thank you to metube and Terra Nova-Falling Skies Fan for your reviews! My apologies it's only one chapter this week as I caught a cold and my brain has ceased functioning further than one chapter..Enjoy!_

* * *

"Open the door Dr Wallace" Alicia said knocking on Malcolm's door. She and Taylor had decided a team effort was best in regards to Malcolm as they had already debriefed Kobayashi, Reilly, Jim and Carter. They were all telling relatively the same story with added commentary about the fallout between Kate and Malcolm. Which Taylor and Alicia surmised was one of the reasons Malcolm was now holed up in his house than complaining about his injuries in the infirmary.

Carter told Taylor that the Sixers had finished off the Phoenix Soldiers without any survivors and that they would bury the bodies. The sixer's preacher or the woman who still had faith in god and carried a bible would give them their last rights and a good send off before the Sixers finished packing down the camp and coming back to the Colony. Mira would radio when they were four hours out and then when she arrived they would talk about their terms of Surrender to Commander Taylor. Carter specified that Kate had to be in attendance as Mira felt the woman was the only neutral party they had for the negotiations.

Taylor nodded but said it was entirely dependent on whether Kate was capable and willing. The poor woman was laid up in a bio-bed unconscious, bruised like an apple with 4 fractured ribs. Elisabeth was just waiting for the Asimeth to leave Kate's system before she could give a proper diagnosis and prescribe pain medication. Taylor asked the Doctor to keep them informed of Kate's progress in the interim.

That just left Malcolm Wallace the last of the party to be checked on as he hadn't been debriefed or checked out by a doctor. Taylor grew impatient at Malcolm not answering and stepped forward and knocked on the door loudly before he stepped back.

"Think we should just kick the door down?" Alicia asked, Taylor was beginning to think it wasn't a bad idea when Malcolm opened the door.

"Commander, Lieutenant what can I do for you?" Malcolm asked, they could tell he had showered and donned fresh clothes as his hair was still wet.

"You know it is standard regulations that everyone be cleared by medical when they return from OTG right?" Alicia asked him.

"I'm fine" Malcolm said.

"It's the regs Malcolm and we also need to debrief you. So come on" Taylor said as he gestured for him to follow them.

"You two came all this way to drag me to the infirmary and then talk about what happened?" Malcolm asked dryly as he folded his arms.

"Yes" Taylor said before taking a fortifying breath. Malcolm's body language was anything but agreeable.

"Well I'll save you some time. I'm a civilian so you can't order me to see a Doctor. I'm fine. As to what happened I was kidnapped, held captive because they wanted me to fix the Terminus. I was assessing the damage when Sixers and Miss Renshaw slaughtered those men in cold blood" Malcolm said. Taylor and Alicia remained calm and didn't react to his choice of words. Especially when he referred to his girlfriend of 6 months so formally when yesterday he would have said 'Kate'.

"Malcolm perhaps we should come in, sit down and talk about this properly" Taylor said as he knew Malcolm had a bit of a righteous attitude about Military conduct and the way Malcolm was speaking it would be one of those conversations.

"Oh you want to tell me how it 'really' went? Cover up the truth of what I know, so your image isn't tarnished?" Malcolm asked.

"If you want a megaphone and a podium in the main square to tell the whole colony about how you feel and what you saw I can arrange that for you. I have nothing to hide, we collaborated with the Sixers to eliminate our common enemy once and for all. The Sixers will give the dead a proper burial and then they will return." Taylor told him.

"So you're dressing them up as heroes" Malcolm scoffed.

"The Sixers are surrendering and going to rejoin the colony. They are not being given special treatment. They will have to earn their right to stay and any privileges they way. There won't be any town fairs or monuments built in their image" Taylor told him dryly.

"Shame the Phoenix soldiers won't get the same chance to surrender" Malcolm said as he leaned against the door frame and looked at them. Taylor knew instantly that Malcolm was in a contrary mood and that he was looking for an argument not answers.

"Malcolm, they kidnapped you, they attacked the colony-" Alicia started but was cut off by Malcolm.

"The Sixers have done exactly the same thing but you didn't go out into the jungle and kill them all! I watched a man get stabbed through the chest with a machete! Another get his arm broken and then used as a human shield before Hooper was shot in the head. The amount of blood and dirt on her-" he stopped for a moment and shook his head but it was clear he was horrified and disgusted by the memories of Kate and his rescue. "We are supposed to be bettering ourselves not falling victim to our old ways as you espouse every pilgrimage with your speech about what Terra Nova is. Yet you... You used her and the sixers murder those men without even offering them a chance to surrender or negotiate. You are such a hypocrite Taylor" Malcolm said scathingly.

Taylor and Alicia remained calm though Alicia was ready to deck the man. Where was his loyalty, the woman he supposedly 'loved' the same woman who had ricked her life for him and saved his life. Yet here he was complaining that they didn't wave a white flag and have tea with the Phoenix soldiers and try to be civil when the Phoenix soldiers' attacked them first. In her humble opinion, Malcolm should have been thanking them profusely for not leaving him in the badlands to rot before going to the Infirmary to wait for Kate to wake up.

"You're entitled to your opinion and feelings Malcolm" Taylor said, Alicia's jaw nearly dropped at Taylor's words but she kept her poker face on. Why wasn't he defending himself and his decisions or telling Malcolm to get off his high horse. There was something entirely too formal about the way Taylor was talking to the scientist.

"Now part of the terms in the Sixers' surrender is that you will repair the Terminus. Will you be able to do so? Because I'd like to know in advance" Taylor said in a professional tone even Malcolm was taken aback by the change in Taylor's attitude.

"I think I can but I will need to take a better look and even if I do fix the terminus. The fracture to 2149 is gone" Malcolm told him.

"Carter said that Lucas was close to finding a way of detecting another fracture to 2149 and using the Terminus to open it. Something about the badlands being riddled with fractures but before Lucas could explain he disappeared." Taylor said. He was actually surprised at how forthcoming Carter had been in their conversation.

"Where is Lucas?" Malcolm asked.

"We don't know but Mira believes Escher did know" Taylor said, he and Alicia had decided to keep who Escher really was a secret between them. It wasn't pertinent and they both felt it wasn't necessary for the truth to come out.

"Who is dead, we're hoping he left something behind that may help us in tracking Lucas down" Alicia said.

"If he is still alive" Malcolm stated Alicia pursed her lips as she didn't want to comment about how indelicate Malcolm was being right now. The whole conversation felt like one large sore spot being rubbed raw.

"Until otherwise I believe Lucas is still alive. Now I may not be able to order you around Malcolm but as you are a senior member of the Colony and Head of a major department in the Colony I expect you to follow the regulations and lead by example. Get checked into the infirmary and cleared by a doctor in the next 24 hours or I can come back and drag you there myself" Taylor told him.

"Fine, anything else?" Malcolm asked in a terse tone.

"Not for the time being" Taylor said.

"Then I shall bid you both a good day" Malcolm said without waiting for an answer he closed the front door on Alicia and Taylor.

The two turned and looked directly at the remains of Alicia and Kate's home. "That was not what I expected from Malcolm" Alicia said as they stepped down from the porch.

"He's not ready to listen yet" Taylor said.

"So that's why you didn't backhand him for calling you a hypocrite?" Alicia asked.

"I've been called worse" Taylor said with a smile.

"Look at my house" Alicia said with a sigh as she changed the conversation.

"The bath tub looks salvageable and look at the bright side, you don't have to worry about packing up anything" Taylor said in good humour. Alicia punched his good arm and shook her head at him.

"That is not funny" Alicia told him.

* * *

A few hours later,

Kate stirred from her slumber slowly, she felt like she was still drunk as she felt like she was trapped in a bubble of sorts. She opened her eyes slowly and found her vision blurry and wondered how much she had drunk when her brain reminded her of the last few events before she passed out. She turned her head slowly to the side as she recognised she was in the infirmary and it was afternoon by the low lighting of the room. Her eyes landed on a blurry figure of a man sitting in a chair in the shadows by her bed.

"Malcolm?" she said in a groggy voice, she felt her heart flip at the thought that maybe he really had just been in shock. That the look that he gave her and reactions were just a jerk reaction it made her feel warm and fuzzy with hope. Though the fuzzy part was probably the drugs Carter slipped her.

"I'm insulted, calling me by another man's name after everything we've been through together" he teased Kate frowned as her vision cleared up and she realised it was Carter, a very clean Carter. He was wearing a white cotton button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and plain green pants.

"Hey you're kind of sexy when you're all clean and don't have tooth picks in your hair" Kate teased with a smile but truthfully she felt disappointed that it was Carter and not Malcolm. The feeling faded quickly as she checked him out. Sure she had a boyfriend but it didn't hurt checking out the menu. Carter scratched his head and smiled unsure if Kate was complimenting him or not.

After being checked out by Doctor Shannon and then debriefed by Taylor. Carter had decided to indulge in a long hot shower and a meal. Kobayashi was generous enough to loan him some clean clothes. He didn't really have any place to go or be so he ended up sitting by Kate's bedside waiting for her to wake up.

"Yeah I figured it was about time I had a proper shower " he stopped as he watched her more carefully and noted her eyes were a little glassy and her smile just a little dopey "And you are off your face on drugs" he surmised as Kate's smile widened. She giggled a girlish noise he was sure she would never make sober.

"Your hair looks soft can I touch it?" Kate asked with a quirked eyebrow. Carter chuckled and shook his head but before he could reply Elisabeth walked up to the bed.

"How's my favourite patient going?" Elisabeth asked Kate. She pulled out a hand held sensor and started scanning Kate's eyes before she checked the redhead's vitals and IV.

"She's high" Carter answered as he folded his arms and refused to indulge Kate's want to touch his clean hair.

"Well her body chemistry is incredibly sensitive to 2149 medication. You're lucky she didn't have an overdose" Elisabeth said chastising Carter, she had no idea why Carter was sitting at Kate's bedside as it should have been Malcolm. But he was MIA, when Elisabeth asked Alicia about it when the brunette dropped by to see how Kate was doing. The woman just shook her head and commented that Malcolm would drop by to have a check up but not to expect him to stay.

"Tell me how long have I been unconscious?" Kate asked Elisabeth.

"Close to 12 hours apparently" Elisabeth told her. It took a moment for it to compute in Kate's mind but when it did she looked at Carter.

"You drugged me" Kate said pointing a finger at Carter.

"Which you'll agree was necessary, you're badly injured" Carter said. Kate who was now angry and still under the effects of the drugs couldn't feel her injuries.

"I'm fine now besides really drugged but that won't stop me from kicking your ass" Kate said she even started to get out of bed but was stopped by Elisabeth and Carter.

"No you're not kicking anything today. Save it for another 6 weeks doctor's orders" Elisabeth told Kate.

"No fair" Kate said resigning herself to Doctor's orders she relaxed back onto the bed with a sigh. She slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep again as Elisabeth ran scans on her.

* * *

"What a long day" Alicia said as she kicked off her boots at the door at Taylor's place and laid down on the left side of couch throwing her legs over Taylor's lap. Every cell in her body was exhausted and sighed as she relaxed.

"Tomorrow is going to be worse" Taylor commented as he placed the plex he had been reading on the coffee table. They had eaten dinner in the Mess with the other soldiers before finishing up paperwork. After the paperwork was done, Alicia went to check in on Kate while Taylor went straight home for some pain killers as his broken arm was giving him some grief.

Alicia had found Kate was still unconscious with Carter sitting by her bed. It was very odd to see the sixer sitting there as she had expected it to be Malcolm. Carter had said Kate woke up briefly but considering her injuries the woman fell straight back to sleep within minutes no before informing Carter she would kick his ass.

"I say we call in sick and spend the whole day in bed" Alicia mumbled as she sunk further into the couch getting comfortable. Taylor smiled as she covered her mouth to yawn.

"How was Kate?" Taylor asked as he sorely wanted to agree with the staying in bed all day idea.

"Asleep, Carter said she woke up long enough to say she was going to kick his ass" Alicia said with a chuckle.

"Carter was there?" Taylor asked as he would have thought Malcolm would have returned to his senses. Obviously he was wrong, he had feeling it was going to get worse before it got better.

"Yeah, it was a little weird. The sixers have been our enemy for a while now it's difficult to not be suspicious of them. Anyway how's the arm?" Alicia asked as she looked at his right arm that was in a sling and would be hampering their sex life for the next 6 weeks at least.

"Broken" Taylor said with a wry smile. Alicia shot him a look "The meds kicked in a few minutes ago. What about you?" he asked her.

"Exhausted, nauseous, I'm so happy it's the end of the day" Alicia said with a sigh.

"So my girls are already exhausting you" He said with a smile.

"Girls? What makes you think they'll be girls?" Alicia asked she couldn't wait for him to explain this one.

"Because I want girls" He told her. He always liked the idea of daughters especially with Alicia. Sure with boys you could rough house around with them more but he liked the idea of having little mini versions of Alicia running around the house.

"Oh so are you ordering me to have girls now?" Alicia asked trying not to laugh. Taylor gave her a look like 'of course soldier' before he chuckled. He leaned over and pushed the bottom of her tank top up revealing her abdomen.

"You hear that in there? I want two healthy girls and that's an order" he said sternly. Alicia laughed and shook her head. Taylor placed two gentle kisses on her abdomen before sitting back up.

"What happens if they're two healthy boys? Are you going court martial them for dereliction of duty?" Alicia asked before she laughed again at how ludicrous the situation was but also very Taylor-esque to just bark orders and expect miracles to happen.

"No, I'll love them just the same but I'm allowed to want girls aren't I?" Taylor asked her, Alicia nodded as she stifled a laugh at him ordering their barely formed babies to be girls.

"Sure but just so you know they don't have ears yet so they didn't hear that order" Alicia informed him.

"Then I'll just have to keep telling them over and over until they can hear me" Taylor said with a confident smile as he moved his hand across her stomach in a loving gesture even though she didn't have any physical tell tale signs yet. It was only a matter of time before she started growing.

She was not looking forward to that. It was more the attention and how touchy feely women got over pregnant women in the colony. She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind and looked at Taylor giving him her 'let's have sex' eyes even though she was exhausted she couldn't help herself.

"Don't give me sex eyes" he told her, she sat and moved herself so she was straddling his lap. She made sure she was careful of his arm.

"Why not? You don't like my sex eyes?" She asked innocently as she slowly ran her hands up his chest before linking her arms around his neck. Taylor used his one good arm and wrapped around her pulled her body in even tighter against his. He gave her a very masculine smile.

"I love your sex eyes but aren't you exhausted?" he asked her.

"I still got some energy left" she said salaciously, Taylor moved his hand up to the back of her neck and pulled her lips to his. He kissed her long and soft, and so deeply Alicia felt herself sinking into him.

"Come on" Alicia said as she climbed off his lap, she tugged on his good arm pulling him with her. He didn't need to ask where they were going as he already knew.

* * *

The next day,

"Good Morning Sleepyhead, I wouldn't move too much if I were you" Alicia said cheerfully as Kate slowly opened her eyes. Kate looked around her remembering she was in the infirmary before her eyes stopped at Alicia who was standing by her bedside next to a table with a medium sized cage on it. Inside was the tiny primate that had an unhealthy obsession with her. But for the moment he was distracted as Alicia was holding live bugs.

"Hey, ho-oh ow" Kate said, she had made moves to sit up but stopped as her ribs and chest burned with pain. She fell back onto the bed and hissed in pain taking shallow breaths before some of the pain subsided.

"Told you not to move, you have 4 fractured ribs and massive bruising. You're lucky you were wearing armour at the time otherwise you'd been killed but that blast" Alicia said, Kate noted Alicia's fresh BDU's and her hair tied back in a slick ponytail meant the woman was on duty. She also wondered where Alicia got her clothes considering their house had exploded.

"Yeah lucky me" Kate said dryly as she watched Alicia as she feed the tiny primate a few wriggling bug. "What is he doing here?" Kate asked gesturing to the primate that was happily munching away.

"Malcolm dropped him off about ten minutes ago with a letter. I thought he would have stayed but he said he had to get back to work asked me to feed the little guy. He really is ridiculously cute" Alicia said as she handed the sealed letter to Kate.

Kate took the letter and opened it. Alicia watched Kate read the letter and her expression that went from hopeful and eager to sad, hurt then unreadable as Kate tried desperately to control her emotions. She shakily re-folded the letter back up and placed it back in the envelope.

"Everything ok?" Alicia asked as she gave the last bug from the tiny jar to the infant primate. Kate nodded before clearing her throat.

"It's fine. What about you?" Kate asked attempting to change the topic as she didn't want to think about what was written in the letter. Sadly she couldn't stop her body from going through the motions as her eyes filled with tears and her heart ached.

"Kate, what's the matter?"Alicia asked in a soft voice as Kate looked ready to cry. Alicia left out the 'so after you tell me I can go kill Malcolm Wallace with good reason' part as she knew the letter said nothing good.

"Can I get some pain killers or something? My ribs really hurt" Kate said in a hushed voice as the tears fell down her face. Alicia watched as the letter was crumpled in Kate's hand before Alicia nodded.

"Sure, I'll be right back" Alicia said she moved to the closest nurse and asked them to get Elisabeth who was on duty that morning and for some breakfast for Kate. She pulled up a chair and sat down next to Kate's bed. Kate had wiped her eyes and wore a closed expression but it was easy to see she was trying hard to conceal she was hurt.

"So, Mira and the Sixers are arriving outside the main gate in two hours time. Carter said that it would go more smoothly if you were there care explaining that one?" Alicia asked as she decided to change tactics.

"I think it's because I have nothing to gain or lose from the Sixers coming back into the colony makes me the perfect middle person?" Kate offered with a nonchalant shrug.

"Makes sense" Alicia said before they lapsed into silence. Kate pursed her lips before she spoke in a low voice.

"He doesn't want to see me or talk to me. He understood my old life and knew that what I was capable of but he felt I had left it behind me. It goes on for a bit but he said seeing me in that element where I… You know what just read it for yourself" Kate said as she offered the letter to Alicia. Alicia took her hand instead and squeezed it in a comforting gesture.

"It'll be ok, just give him the time and space. He'll come around" Alicia told her. Kate shot her a look that said 'You don't really believe that do you?' as she wiped her eyes. Before Alicia could try and convince Kate that she believed that Malcolm would come around Elisabeth interrupted them.

"I was told someone was in need of pain relief" Elisabeth said in her usual cheerful way. She raised the top half of Kate's bed so she was sitting upright.

"That would be me" Kate said holding up a hand. Elisabeth pulled over a tray table and placed a small pill container on it.

"Ok, here we go. Just take 2 every 4 -6 hours" Elisabeth said.

"You already kicking me out?" Kate asked as a staff member placed a tray of breakfast food in front of her with a bottle of water.

"I figured you and Alicia were already plotting your escape" Elisabeth said with a smile as Kate opened the water and Alicia opened the container of meds and handing Kate two tablets.

"Not yet" Kate said as she down the two tablets with water.

"Well you can stay if you want but I'm sad to say this but as cute as he is, the primate will have to go. I'm running an infirmary not a zoo" Elisabeth said as she gestured to the infant primate that was rattling his cage. Kate picked up a grape and bit it in half, taking one half for herself and passing the other half to the infant primate. He took the grape half and quietly yet happily munched away.

"Yet you allow Carter in here" Kate replied sarcastically as Carter had just walked into the Infirmary making his way over to her bed side. Elisabeth and Alicia were chuckling at the comment while Carter looked a little lost.

"I miss something?" he asked.

"No, what are you doing here?" Kate asked as she slapped his hand away from the fruit on her tray.

"I was bored thought I'd annoy you. What's with the monkey?" He asked as he moved to inspect the infant that was struggling to finish half a grape and stay awake.

"Apparently he's imprinted on me… something about my low heart rate and thinking I'm his mother whatever" Kate said with a shrug as she ate another grape. She had skipped over that paragraph of the letter as she knew the reason why Malcolm gave her the primate was so that she didn't have a plausible excuse to see him as he instructed that he'd let her know when he was ready to see her again.

"Oh yeah I can see the familial resemblance… both eating and trying to stay awake at the same time" Carter mused as he looked between Kate who gave him a dark look and the primate.

"Don't poke him!" she said in a scolding tone as she slapped Carter's hand as he tried to poke the infant primate.

"So protective" Carter said backing away with his hands up in surrender and an stirring grin. Kate bit her bottom lip worried as she wasn't sure if it was normal for him to pass out after a meal. But then his breathing seemed fine as he had fallen asleep on his back still clutching the remaining of the grape half in his claws.

"I think we may have overfed him" Alicia commented Kate nodded in agreement.

"He'll just sleep it off something else he'll share in common with his new mummy" Carter drawled.

"You are really annoying" Kate said dryly, she really didn't need Carter annoying her. Carter smiled as he pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Trust me after a whole day in my presence you'll love me" he told her. Kate's eyes went wide at the thought and it wasn't with excitement.

"Oh god. Please tell me we have other accommodations for tonight that involves locked doors and inaccessible windows" Kate said to Alicia who was looking thoroughly amused.

"If Doc says it's fine" Alicia said casually. She was just glad Kate wasn't crying and was distracted from what she read in the letter from Malcolm. Kate looked to Elisabeth with imploring grey eyes that begged Elisabeth to not say 'no'.

"As long as you promise to rest, no work or any extreme activities and see me in three days-" Elisabeth started.

"Done" Kate said agreeing to any and all terms that would save her from Carter's presence.

* * *

A couple of hours later,

"This is kind of insane" Jim said as he and Taylor stood in the middle of the field outside the gates waiting for Mira and the Sixers to show up. Jim looking over Taylor's proposed plans and projections for the next 6 months on his hand held plex.

"I can't ask civilians to give up their homes for-" Taylor started as he saw Jim was reading up on the housing issue.

"Oh no! I meant the whole Sixers willing to negotiate surrender. Not the housing issue. I agree with everything in here but I think I already know who I want as my deputy and Novak? No offence but he's the last guy I'd ask" Jim said making a face.

"Really?" Taylor said surprised. He would have thought Novak to be an ideal candidate. He felt like his assumptions of people were off of late.

"Yeah, don't worry I just want to make sure the person I'm thinking for my deputy is right and when I'm sure. I'll let you know" Jim said.

"You're choosing a deputy not a wife" Taylor said dryly.

"I know, but we're talking about my first deputy. It's still special. Give me 5 days at least and I'll have a name for you" Jim said.

"5 days until what?" Kate asked as she, Alicia and Carter joined them outside the gates.

"It's how long I have to get a deputy" Jim said as he looked at Kate funnily. Kate was dressed in cotton navy wide leg yoga pants and a man's white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Her long red hair was tied back into a messy bun. But it was the lump on her upper arm that had his attention.

"It's a monkey" Kate told Jim before he asked. The primate had woken up from it's short nap and started a noisy riot in his cage. In her frustration of her current situation and exhaustion, she opened the cage door and told him 'if you want out then go!' and the primate jumped right onto her and luckily settled onto her arm. She couldn't be bothered to trying to remove him as he settled down and fell straight to sleep.

"Primate" Carter corrected.

"Whatever" Kate said in an exhausted tone to Carter.

"You're the one who corrected me earlier" Carter said.

"And right now I don't care" Kate told Carter as she already exhausted from Carter and the walking out to where the others were standing, it just compounded with her mental control over her emotions, she really wanted to be alone. Actually she wanted to confront Malcolm but she knew it would be an utter disaster the man practically wrote a 'Dear Jane' letter and added on the 'I'll call you' thinking it would soften the blow. She loved him, had gone out the badlands to save him only to lose him because he saw part of her 'dark' side.

She knew from the look in his eyes, she knew as soon as she made the deal with Carter that she would ruin all of her relationships in Terra Nova from her actions. It was still early to see the extent of the fallout. At least Alicia was still talking to her. They hadn't had a proper conversation but she figured it would be later in private. At least Taylor and Jim welcomed her and could look her in the face which was a good sign. She just wished she could trade Carter's attention for Malcolm's. That they could talk so she knew where his head was at.

"You alright?" Taylor asked her as she seemed distracted, usually she had her head in the game but in that moment she was a million miles away. Kate looked at him blankly for a moment before giving a nod.

"Yeah, fine. I don't mean to be rude but this isn't going to take long is it?" Kate asked as she wanted nothing more than for this to be over.

"Why you got a hot date with Dr Wallace?" Carter asked rolling his eyes. Kate pursed her lips it wasn't hard for Jim, Taylor or Alicia to note the flash of pain in Kate's expression and the uncomfortable silence before Kate cleared her throat.

"No, I don't. I'm just incredibly lazy. I want to go back to bed" Kate told Carter.

"Oh I get it he's-" Carter started with a knowing smile but before he could comment Kate stamped him foot hard. Carter's lips formed a thin line as he tried not to vocalise his pain. Jim, Taylor and Alicia tried to keep straight faces as Kate looked at Carter with an innocent expression.

"Sorry did that hurt?" she asked innocently.

"Yeah it did. A lot" Carter told her as he was still wincing in pain as he shook his injured foot. Kate dropped her innocent expression and replaced it with one of annoyance.

"Good, it's just a sample of what I'm going to do to you when I'm better" Kate informed him before Carter could say another word the sounds of many vehicles coming closer. They all watched as rhinos came out of the jungle and pulled to a stop in front of them. Mira jumped out of the rhino along with the others and they formed a small group.

It was an oddly tense as if someone had drawn an invisible line between the Sixers and where Taylor, Alicia, Jim and Kate stood. Carter crossed the line and conversed with Mira in a quiet voice for the moment before they turned to face Taylor.

"Taylor" Mira said in greeting.

"Mira" Taylor said, he surreptitiously counted the number of people and the rhinos parked in front of him. He noted the injuries of the people

"We've come to discuss the terms of surrender" Mira said.

"This is not going to be an easy transition. You have earn your keep in the colony"

"We understand that, we are prepared to surrender our arms and walk through the main gates and live under your laws. On the understanding that we will be given our old occupations and housing to earn our keep until Dr Wallace completes the repairs of the Terminus and a portal to 2149 is re-established" Mira said.

"What happens then?" Taylor asked out of curiosity. He was happy to have them surrender and give them a chance to rejoin the colony but it wasn't like there were any better options he did not want to start a prison population.

"You arrange for absolution for those who want to return to 2149. We both know it will take months for Dr Wallace to repair the terminus. I'm sure we can make up for our past discretions in that time" Mira said, Taylor would have disagreed that past discretions would not be absolved after a few months but Kate spoke up first.

"Question: What if the Terminus can't be repaired or the fracture can't be re-opened?" Kate asked.

"Mira?" Taylor asked as he knew that she had more to lose in not being able to return to 2149.

"Then we move on. I do not want to spend the rest of my life in the jungle warring against you Taylor and honestly I don't like my chances with Kate around" Mira said the last part made everyone look at Kate who gave no sign that she understood what Mira was implying. He wondered what Kate had said to Mira as the woman was being far too compliant than he expected of her.

"Well, you and your people will be housed in the barracks with the soldiers. It will take a few months to a year before all of you can have your own places again. Construction will go faster with volunteers but there is a waiting list that will be adhered to" Taylor said

"I assume all the sixers at the end?" Mira said.

"I'm at the end and still waiting for new windows" Taylor said Mira pretended to be surprised but then Taylor was too noble to abuse his status to get preferential treatment. "Any other conditions you have Mira or can I list mine now?" Taylor asked politely.

* * *

_TBC~ See you all in a week! _


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: I never really said where Taylor's house was so let's all pretend I did and it's on the east side of the Colony close to the Command Centre but far away that he doesn't get disturbed by a lot of foot traffic or the noise of Boylan's bar… Also huge thanks to metube, Terra Nova-Falling Skies Fan and Smurf5 for your reviews and help! As always Enjoy!_

* * *

"I need a drink" Kate said as she searched the cupboards of Taylor's kitchen for alcohol. Only to find the kitchen was completely devoid of alcohol. She knew it was probably gone as Taylor felt no point in drinking when he had an arm in a sling and a baby on the way. It wasn't like they were big drinkers to begin with.

"You can't you're on pain killers remember? Sit down on the lounge and relax, I'll make you some tea" Alicia said as she pushed Kate out of the kitchen. They had just returned from the most awkward lunch in the mess hall since Kate's first arrival. It was a feat even Kate thought couldn't be topped.

After Taylor gave a list of ridiculously restrictive rules and informing Mira that all her people were on a good behaviour bond for the next 6 months at least. If a said 'ex-sixer' set one foot out of line then they would be kicked out to the Jungle. No more second chances or take backs when the sixers walked through the gates they knew they had shape up or they would be tossed out of the Colony. All the sixers who wanted to return to their previous occupations had to talk to him first for approval but the amazing part was Mira and Sixers agreed and disarmed themselves of their weapons and walked through the gates into the Colony.

Taylor gave a speech to his soldiers and then the Colonists who had shown up to watch what was going on and some who decided to voice their grievances at the idea. It was safe to say the sixers were more unwelcome than Kate and they came bearing gifts of vehicles, weapons, energy cells and everything the Phoenix Soldiers had stolen from the Colony.

"That lunch was weird" Kate said as she slouched down on the lounge.

"The sixers respect you" Alicia commented, it was true that during the couple hours of mingling after lunch many of the sixers had walked up and shaken hands with her and murmuring thanks and other words of gratitude.

"I'm thinking of rebuilding" Kate said changing the topic. She had been thinking about her living arrangements through lunch while trying not to slap Carter up the side of the head. She needed to move out of Taylor's house as soon as possible as she was feeling thoroughly depressed and didn't want her situation to taint the happiness of Taylor and Alicia's world. She had hoped that Malcolm would be by her bedside that morning and welcoming her to stay at his house with promise of breakfast in bed and kinky sponge baths.

But no, she had an infant primate attached to her arm and was now going to be living with Taylor and Alicia who would be ensconced in baby bliss for however long it took for her to get a new house built. She was certain she didn't want that house to be opposite Malcolm's place in case they didn't work out. She knew if they didn't work out she would definitely need the space. She still held a flicker of hope that after she gave him some space he'd take her back as he didn't say the relationship was over just that he needed some time to himself.

"Why don't you build a new house on the East side of the colony?" Alicia suggested as she brought over the teapot and two cups.

"Are you sure? I thought it was reserved for military personnel and their families" Kate said.

"You're my family and anyway you can stay here with me, Taylor and the twins" Alicia told her.

"Twins?" Kate asked her eyes went wide surprise as it was news to her.

"Yeah" Alicia said hesitantly as she forgot she hadn't told Kate. She watched as the redhead's face lit up with a genuine smile.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" Kate said ecstatically as she hugged Alicia tightly. Alicia couldn't help but feel the excitement radiating from Kate and smiled.

"Thanks" Alicia said. Kate released her from the hug and sank back into the couch. She liked being able to share good news.

"So I assume there was a lot of celebrating yesterday and last night" Kate said wriggling her eyebrows suggestively. Alicia ignored the comment and poured out two cups of tea.

"Nathaniel and I are very happy" Alicia said.

"Nathaniel and I" Kate imitated with a smile "Spoken like a true couple. This is excellent news! I assume everything is perfect physically as well? Do you have any scans or ultrasounds?" Kate asked.

"Yes, Elisabeth said everything was looking good and there are scans. It's not much to look at yet" Alicia said downplaying it though she liked sharing the excitement.

"So what? It's the first Washington-Taylor Production. I want visuals" Kate said in a demanding tone. Alicia laughed and picked up a plex on the coffee table and opened up a file before passing it to Kate.

"They are fraternal about 5 weeks" Alicia told her as Kate looked at the scans of her future children.

"You're right they don't look like much" Kate said, Alicia smacked her arm for the comment while Kate chuckled. "But this is still cool! better picture quality than an ultrasound" Kate said as the resolution of the image was crystal clear. She put down the plex and looked at Alicia. "So what are the plans?" Kate asked.

"What plans?"

"Come on, you organize everything. I was amazed you don't have the days of the week stitched to your knickers! How can you not have a billion and one plans for these babies?" Kate asked.

"I don't have a billion and one plans just a few plans" Alicia corrected.

"And I assume getting windows, fixing up a nursery and getting extensions on this place is among those plans?" Kate asked innocently.

"Yes" Alicia said.

"Well, leave them to me. I will get you your windows and extensions completed before you're in your second trimester. You and Taylor can fix up the nursery yourselves" Kate said.

"How generous of you" Alicia said dryly though she appreciated Kate taking some of that work off her shoulders. "Though could you keep it on the down low" Alicia added, Kate nodded.

"Sure, when are you two going to announce your happy news?" Kate asked.

"We're thinking the staff meeting on Friday to senior staff and 3 weeks from now when I step down from my position as Second of Command for the colony. We'll announce the happy news to the Colony along with Shannon taking over for my position. So I have the joy of his lovely presence for the next three weeks to get him up to snuff" Alicia said.

"That shouldn't be too hard. I should call Baz and make the arrangements for squaring supplies away for myself" Kate said making moves to get up off the couch. Alicia shook her head as Kate always chose to run around when she should be resting.

"No, you are going to stay where you are and rest" Alicia told her.

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" Kate asked innocently.

* * *

Later that night, Alicia was warm, relaxed and beautifully comfortable dreaming about sunny days in her and Taylor's bed when the feel of a set of long fingers gently massaged across her stomach awaking her from her sleepy state. She opened her eyes when she felt a pair of familiar lips taste the sensitive hollow by her ear followed by a very familiar hard warm body pressed behind her.

"Mmm, what's the time?" Alicia asked as she turned in his arms to face him in the darkness.

"9 o'clock. I never thought I'd see the day you and Kate in bed so early" he said before he continued his assault on her neck with his lips while they manoeuvred themselves closer to one another.

"Well it is a school night" She said before kissing him in greeting. She relished the heat and the feel of his length body pressed intimately against hers, naked and aroused. Taylor chuckled before he groaned in pleasure as Alicia had reached between them and closed her fingers around him.

"Shh you'll wake up the kid" Alicia teased referring to Kate who was currently medicated into a sleep so deep not even an exploding bomb would wake her up. Alicia continued to tease and drive him crazy with need as she slowly and deliciously moved her body against him. He loved the dizzying mix of soft flesh and firm muscles on her body as he slowly ran his hand over her. He really wished he didn't have a broken arm as he would love to run both of his hands on her and a few other things that required two arms. But they would definitely make do.

"Alicia" he groaned he pulled her into a deep and possessive kiss just as she pushed him onto his back and straddled him.

* * *

"Kate!" Zoe exclaimed as she and Jim came out of their house. Kate had been walking back from the construction site on the west side of the colony. She had spoken with Baz and arranged her new home to be built and the necessary supplies and materials for an extension which she said she wanted to do herself. But she squared away everything she needed. Kate turned to Zoe and smiled, she had been in a bit of drug daze walking back. She was pretty sure if it hadn't been for Alicia and Taylor slipping into 'parent' mode she would have walked out of the house in a tank top and her underwear with bedraggled hair.

Instead she left the house wearing the same yoga pants from yesterday and one of Taylor's button down shirts that was navy blue. She was amazed the man actually owned a button down shirt that wasn't stamped with military insignia or black. But then Navy was still a dark colour. Her primate friend was currently asleep on her shoulder under her shirt.

"Hey Zoe, Sheriff" Kate said in greeting to them.

"You wanna walk with me to school?" Zoe asked.

"Hey, what about me?" Jim asked Zoe pretending to be offended that he was being ousted for Kate.

"You can come too" Zoe told Jim in an exhausted tone, Kate couldn't help but smile.

"Oh thank you. You're too generous" Jim said picking the little girl up and holding her under his arm like a sack of potatoes. Zoe started laughing and protesting but Jim pretended he couldn't hear a thing as he looked to Kate who was trying her best not to laugh.

"So I was thinking about checking out Escher's place today. You want to join me?" Jim asked as they walked in the direction of the school.

"Not really" Kate said.

"Come on, I need someone to play detective with me" Jim said to Kate.

"Daddy! Put me down!" Zoe shouted she had gone from having a good time to annoyed which made Kate and Jim exchanged looks of amusement.

"Alright, alright" Jim said as he carefully placed Zoe on her feet. She grabbed his hand and Kate's walking between them.

"Can I play detective with you Daddy?" Zoe asked.

"Sorry Kiddo, you have to be at least this tall" Jim gestured to Kate's height "To play detective" he told her. Zoe pouted at him.

"Hey Zoe, I'm thinking our next blanket fort needs to be bigger" Kate said changing the topic. She had babysat Zoe in the past so Jim and Elisabeth could have a night out for themselves. It helped lower the amount of groans from Maddy and Josh when they didn't have to sacrifice their date nights to look after Zoe. The two of course had spent a good afternoon turning Alicia and Kate's living and dining room into a blanket fort. It was becoming a bit of a fortnightly thing and a challenge for Zoe and Kate to improve their blanket fort design.

"Bigger?" Zoe asked.

"Yeah we'll use cushions and build tunnels to other rooms" Kate said thoughtfully.

"Really? We can do that?" Zoe asked.

"Yeah I'll find enough blankets we can definitely do it!" Kate said with a smile.

"Cool!" Zoe said excited at the prospect. They continued talking about Zoe friendly topics until the little girl was dropped off at school. Once she was safely in school Jim turned to Kate.

"So, Escher's place?" Jim asked.

"Shouldn't you and Alicia be looking into it?" Kate asked.

"She's busy with Taylor and the Sixers" Jim said, Kate chuckled. Jim looked at her confused.

"Sixers, still sounds like a bad 80's cover band" Kate said she really should be going home but just as she looked in the direction of home she caught a glimpse of Malcolm cutting through the main square. She grimaced and turned to Jim.

"Sure, let's go" she said.

"I take it you and Malcolm not so great" Jim asked not missing a beat.

"He needs time" Kate stated as calmly as she could while she started walking back the way they came.

"Have you even spoken to one another?" Jim asked.

"It's only been a day. Can we not talk about Malcolm?" Kate asked looking at him with tears in her eyes not bothering to hide her pain, she knew it was the only way to make Jim stop his line of questioning and let it rest.

"Sure" Jim said, a moment of awkward silence fell between them. "Can I ask for a favour" Jim said.

"A favour?" Kate stated unsure that she wanted to do anything for anyone.

"Yeah nothing huge it's just that this Saturday is Elisabeth and my 20th Anniversary" Jim said

"Congratulations" Kate said smiling genuinely at the news.

"Thanks. See the thing is we need a babysitter for Zoe and chaperone for Maddy and Reynolds" Jim said.

"Where's Josh in this equation?" Kate asked with an amused smile.

"Working at Boylan's. We- I was hoping you could take the girls for the night. So Elisabeth and I have the place for ourselves. Please?" he asked with hope. Kate made a face, it wasn't like she didn't want to babysit or chaperone she had stepped in for the Shannon's before to perform such duties.

Though when Jim said 'chaperone' he really meant make sure Maddy came home before curfew and to scare Reynolds with idle threats so he didn't consider trying to go past the first base. The reason she was reluctant was that she didn't have her own place she was living under Taylor's roof. Thus he had to approve of anything she wanted to do within those walls.

"You know I'm crashing at Taylor's and have no place of my own. I will ask Taylor and if he says it is fine I will play babysitter/chaperone for the night" Kate told Jim.

"Thank you" he said with a grateful smile.

"Don't thank me yet" Kate said.

"Ok I'll just take Zoe over to the Command centre and use her sweet innocent face to sway Taylor and Wash to say 'yes'" Jim said with an evil smile. Kate chuckled as she knew when Zoe turned on her charm no one could say to 'no' to her.

"How about we use that as the backup plan when Taylor says 'No'" Kate suggested.

"Ok, Escher's house is this one coming up on our left" Jim said as he gestured to a house with red exterior walls.

"Do we have the key code?"

"Does a dinosaur go potty in the jungle?" Jim asked her.

"Seriously? Potty?" Kate asked trying hard not to laugh for the pain it would cause her but it was proving difficult as Jim had delivered the line so perfectly.

"I have a five year old who I'd like to not to speak any foul language until she is in her twenties" Jim said as he held up his handheld plex noting the code before punching it into the door's keypad. The lock disengaged.

"Fair enough" Kate said as Jim pushed the door open.

* * *

"Mira gave me a list of people who wish to talk about returning to their previous occupations" Alicia said as she handed over the plex to Taylor who was seated behind his desk in the Command Centre. She had spent half her morning with morning sickness and the other half when her anti-nausea meds kicked in talking with Mira who approached her.

Mira returned Alicia's leather jacket a sixer 'acquired' from her a few months ago. Alicia begrudgingly accepted it as a personal olive branch of friendship and heard the woman out. Only because she felt she had to in return of having her jacket back. She really missed that jacket.

"I don't see any problems with this" Taylor said as he looked over the list. Most of the people on the list were trade workers and worked in agriculture two departments that were always shorthanded and never without work.

"The rest have volunteered for construction work."

"I'll talk with Barry O'Connell after lunch. Wash you ok?" Taylor asked he had offered to give her the day off but she refused to take a sick day.

"Yeah, just tired" Alicia said with a sigh as she sat down. She really couldn't wait for the morning sickness and fatigue stage to be replaced with the glowing and horny stage as she really disliked throwing up.

"You know maybe you should get checked up by Doc Shannon"

"It's ok, I'm supposed to be like this the first few months" Alicia said in a low voice.

"I'm going to have to start reading some literature" Taylor said not that he hadn't already started reading about pregnancy and babies but there was a lot of information. It was going to take time.

"Might be an idea" Alicia drawled in a cheeky fashion.

"You're dismissed for your cheek, Lieutenant" Taylor told her with a wry smile.

"Yes sir" Alicia said getting up from her chair.

* * *

"I'll credit Escher this much. He was a very organised and clean person" Kate said as she moved to the Kitchen. She and Jim had been searching the rooms of the home for the past hour and so fair they had recovered a weird looking purple box that didn't open and a stack of papers with mathematical equations that made no sense to Kate or Jim.

Not surprising as they both weren't Mathematicians or physics majors. Other than that there was nothing unique or personal in the house.

"At least there aren't any trip wires or bombs" Jim said.

"For which I am eternally grateful. He knew he wasn't coming back. The fridge is empty" Kate commented.

"Well if it all checks out we can move some people in here"

"Oh yeah what civilian is game enough to take the house of a psychopath?" Kate asked.

"An ex-sixer maybe?" Jim offered, Kate chuckled as she opened the freezer. "Hey you'll be at the senior staff meeting tomorrow right?" Jim asked.

"Yeah, Baz ask-" Kate stopped mid sentence for a moment. "Ah Sheriff? You might want to come over here" she said.

"You find something?" Jim asked he walked over and stopped as he saw what Kate was looking at. There on the bottom shelf of the freezer was a human hand in a Tupperware container.

* * *

"DNA will take a few minutes" Elisabeth told them. As Taylor, Alicia, Kate, Jim, Malcolm and Kate all stood around a table in the research labs. Jim had called the group together after he and Kate made their discovery. Elisabeth had done a preliminary examination before placing the hand back into a freezer.

"You should be lying down" Elisabeth told Kate who was currently sitting on a stool while everyone around her were standing and waiting for the results of the DNA. They all had a sneaking suspicion who the hand belonged to and were just waiting for the name to pop up in the results.

"I will after Nancy Drew and I here solve the mystery of the frozen hand" Kate said as she smacked Jim on the back emphasising he was 'Nancy Drew'. She had to break the tension she felt in the lab as Malcolm was holding the weird looking violet box in his hands.

"Nancy Drew? I can think of several male detectives you could have referenced then" Jim told her. Humouring her as the tension in the room was unbearable.

"It was a compliment. Nancy Drew solved every one of her cases… as far as I know" Kate said trying not to look at Malcolm. He wasn't having trouble being around only the looking and talking to her part.

But as long as he didn't have to acknowledge her presence he appeared fine. She on the other hand felt like she was on the verge of a breakdown as she tried to maintain her professionalism. Her iPhone beeped and Kate excused herself from the room.

They all lapsed into a very awkward silence it wasn't as if they weren't game to speak their thoughts. They decided it was best to hold their tongue for at least a few days. It was only edging on two days since their return.

"So" Jim drawled as he broke the silence first.

"Shannon?" Taylor prompted when Jim didn't add anything further.

"Oh I just felt the need to fill this incredibly awkward silence" Jim said as he rocked on his feet.

"Malcolm?" Taylor prompted as he didn't want talk about the awkward silence.

"I believe these are the rough starts of Lucas's calculations if we knew how to open this device then we might have something here to work with" Malcolm said the plex screen next to Elisabeth beeped and she tapped it the screen.

"It's Lucas's hand" Taylor stated.

"Yes" Elisabeth said confirming Taylor's statement. Taylor took a deep breath it was the only moment he needed to keep control on his emotions before nodding his acceptance at the news.

"What do you want us to do?" Elisabeth asked Taylor delicately.

"Examine it, tell me everything you can. There were no other body parts?" Taylor asked.

"Not that we could find. You know when Lucas crossed through the portal the first time back to 2149. He used his hand to use that device" Jim said gesturing to the box in Malcolm's hand.

"It's probably some kind of biometric lock that opens with his fingerprint or possibly DNA sample" Malcolm said as he ran his fingers over the grooved top.

"Then to be indelicate why not pick up the hand and open it" Kate said as she returned to the room to hear Malcolm's hypothesis. Malcolm grimaced at her pragmatic tone and placed the box down on the table.

"Because it can't be that simple it probably can detect if the user is dead or not, or it may need a heartbeat and certain body temperature" Malcolm said.

"Then-" Kate started.

"I need more than half an hour to run analysis of the device before we attempt activating it. Anyway it's not like there is some great rush to open it and the hand is being preserved in dry ice. Could I possibly have a few days before we brainstorm ideas?" Malcolm asked in an aggravated tone as he cut Kate off. Kate threw up her hands in surrender.

"Sure take all the time you need Dr Wallace." Kate told him in a defeated tone she looked to the others "If the rest of you will excuse me I'm needed elsewhere" Kate said to them. Taylor nodded his 'ok' which was enough for Kate who took her leave again.

"She should be resting" Elisabeth told them, nothing aggravated her more than a patient walking around when they are supposed to be in bed recovering.

"She's an adult Elisabeth, she knows her limitations and how to take care of herself. She doesn't need mothering" Malcolm said calmly as he was distracted looking at the papers. Those at the table uncharacteristically tight lipped as they held their tongues.

"Well, I'm going to continue my investigation and go back to Escher's see if we missed anything the first time" Jim said.

"Take Wash with you and keep me posted" Taylor told him. Alicia and Jim left the labs and then Taylor looked to Malcolm and Elisabeth "Doc Shannon I'd like to know how long ago that hand was severed and anything else like I said before if you can and Dr Wallace if you could be so kind to give me an update of your progress later it'd be greatly appreciated" Taylor said to Malcolm before he left the labs.

* * *

Kate had an early lunch with Baz who wanted to talk about her and Alicia's new home and the extensions in more detail. Kate came clean about the extensions and the windows saying it was a gift to Taylor for looking after her. Otherwise it was an enjoyable half hour as Baz complained about the workload being never ending and saying he couldn't wait for her to be back on duty. It was nice to feel wanted after being cut down by Malcolm. After lunch she decided she had to talk to Malcolm which was why she had to drag him to his office and locked the door so they wouldn't be disturbed by anyone.

"Kate" Malcolm said in an exhausted tone as he turned around to face her.

"No, I saved your life you owe me at least one conversation" Kate said.

"Ok" he said thought he was reluctant to talk. If anything he kept looking at the door behind her, probably hoping it would miraculously open.

"Now I know you want time but we live in a small colony. We are going to cross paths and the way you treated me before was out of line. What gives you the right to lash out at me? Or treat me with such disregard?" Kate asked.

"I asked for time and for you not to see me and yet you are here. I'm doing my best but I'm not like you. I'm not a soldier" Malcolm told her. The reason he wanted time and space was so he wouldn't say something he would regret later among other things.

"I know" Kate said.

"I need time to process what-" Malcolm started only for Kate to cut him off as he was repeating what she had already read.

"I read the letter and just for the record your life and Alicia's life were in danger and the Sixers would only deal with me. What was I supposed to do? Say 'Sorry Carter but I can't help you because I'm retired'? Was I supposed to sit at home and let Taylor and Shannon sort it out?" Kate asked.

"Yes! I don't like you putting yourself in danger or being a soldier when it's not your job anymore. It's not who you are" he said. Kate rubbed her face with one hand and took a moment.

"Who I am? Being a soldier is/was my life for the last 6 years. It's all I ate, lived and breathed, it's ingrained in me. I can't switch it off and it will always be a part of me. I can't sit back when the people I care about are in danger especially when I can be useful. You know this about me from the start. I just don't understand why I'm being punished for it now" Kate said.

"I'm not punishing you. I just need time to think" Malcolm told her.

"Think about what?" Kate asked. How could he say he loved her and wanted to marry her when she scared the hell out of him with how far she would go for him? That when he looked at her, he saw the woman he loved but he also saw that cold, proficient killer.

That it scared him to see her like that. He was not a violent man, he lived in a peaceful bubble where violence was dramatised and for entertainment not the dose of scary realism Kate had provided. He needed time to digest, to analyse how he felt and what it meant for the future and here she was purposefully placing herself in his presence.

"Us! I feel like I have been living in a dream! Like I don't even know the woman standing in front of me! I need to get my bearings again!" he shouted in frustration at her. She didn't even flinch when he shouted at her, the only reaction she showed were silent tears running down her face. She didn't bother to wipe away.

"You don't have to shout. I have perfect hearing" Kate told him in a calm voice. How he wished she would shout back at him but she wasn't like that. So he wouldn't feel like such an arsehole but Kate never raised her voice in an argument.

"Kate" he said softly as he closed the gap between them and cupped her face with both of his hands and gently brushed the tears away for her.

"I'll wait Malcolm but I can't ignore my own duties but I will do my best to keep our run ins to a minimum until you call me" she told him.

"Kate" he groaned as he felt like a jumbled mess of wants and needs. Malcolm pulled her into a desperate and hungry kiss. Her fingers buried themselves into his hair while he pulled her closer to him, deepening the kiss with an urgent hunger of his own. It had been four long days without her in his arms. His hands splayed over her arched back moulding her to him until he reminded himself that it wasn't right. He broke the kiss as he knew where it would lead and it would just complicate everything.

"I love you" Kate breathed against his lips. It was the first time she had actually said the words to him. Kate was not good at verbalising her emotions, he knew she loved him, he felt it with how she looked at him, touched him, when they made love but hearing her say the words made what he had to do next even harder than he anticipated.

"I know but it doesn't change anything. I still need time" he told her and with that he unlocked the door and walked away.

* * *

"I am ready to kick his ass. As soon as I get the go ahead" Alicia said as they left Escher's house. They came up empty but it gave them an opportunity for Alicia to talk with Jim alone about his promotion in more detail and how she wanted to spend the next three weeks transitioning him into the role.

"Hey in his defence he's not like us" Jim said. Alicia knew when he said 'us' he was referring to himself, Alicia and Taylor as they all had history of being in violent situations.

"I never thought I'd see the day. Jim Shannon defending Malcolm Wallace" Alicia said in amusement. She had received a message from Kate about an hour after they left the Labs saying she was at home and that she had bought food for dinner. Sure jim had a point but Alicia still wanted to smack some sense into the scientist.

"I thought I'd try the whole 'treat everyone equally' thing out. Anyway Elisabeth was the same when I became a cop. That was a few rocky weeks I never want to repeat but you have to agree he's not a soldier and it's ok for him to be out of sorts." Jim said.

"I know but you saw the way he treated her. I think I'm entitled to feel the need to bitch slap him" Alicia said frustrated. She of course had to agree with Taylor to stay out of Kate's affairs but now she wished she hadn't.

"Wash, your Mama Bear colours are showing" Jim said with amusement. Alicia gave him a mocking smile. "How are you going?" Jim asked.

"I'm good" Alicia said.

"Stomach bug still giving you grief?" He asked he already congratulated her behind closed doors for her and Taylor's happy news of her being pregnant yesterday.

"Actually bugs" Alicia corrected as they walked towards the main square.

"Bugs?" Jim asked for clarification as he stopped her. Alicia held up two fingers so his rampant imagination didn't paint her having 4 kids or more.

"What Elisabeth didn't tell you?" Alicia asked surprised.

"No, she honours that Doctor-Patient confidentiality. Bugs... You and Taylor don't mess around" Jim said impressed, Alicia punched him in the arm for the comment. He winced as he rubbed his arm "Ow, Congratulations" Jim added.

"Thank you" Alicia said with a smile.

"Speaking of Bugs" Jim said.

"Oh?" Alicia asked as she knew he was going to crack a bad joke.

"I need a babysitter for Saturday" Jim started, Alicia squared him with an unimpressed look as she knew he was going say 'practice' in the next part of the sentence. "Kate says she'll do it but as she is staying at Taylor's place she had to ask him first. Do you think he'll say yes or will I have to cancel my 20th Wedding Anniversary extravaganza?" Jim asked.

"I'm sure he won't mind, though I'm not sure how he'll react to his house being turned into Blanket fort" Alicia said with a laugh.

"Oh Zoe and Kate have plans for tunnels" Jim told her which only made Alicia laugh more.

"Oh I have to make this happen but you owe me" Alicia told him.

"I will return the favour when you and –" he stopped and pursed his lips and waited for some people to pass by "Your beau have your date night" Jim said after it was just them again.

"My 'beau'?" Alicia said.

"De-facto life partner? Are you two going to get hitched?" Jim asked as they continued walking.

"It's on the cards… Let's just say these next three weeks are going to be full on" Alicia told him.

"Are you going to wear a dress?" Jim asked her.

"Why?" Alicia asked not sure why he was asking her this question.

"Just curious. Do you even own a dress?" Jim asked Alicia rolled her eyes as she knew what he was implying.

"Yes I did but they were destroyed in the explosion but thank you for questioning my femineity" Alicia said dryly.

"I guess this means I won't be your maid of honour? I think I'd look good in a blue strapless number bring out the colour of my eyes what do you think?" Jim asked her, Alicia burst out laughing as she imagined him in a dress and heels. It was a scary but hilarious image.

* * *

Kate had left the research labs after she took a few minutes to compose herself. She went to the markets to grab food for dinner as it was her turn and then went home. She messaged Alicia telling her she was at home and fine which was a lie. Just in case Alicia went looking for her.

She placed the primate on the small tree Taylor had in the lounge room before she took two pain killers and paced the floor while she cried as she had too much pent up energy. Once the pain killers took control she laid down on the lounge and turned her head to stare into space as she was emotionally and physically exhausted. The drugs lulled her into a foggy state that she welcomed as she really didn't want to think or feel. She heard the front door open and close and didn't bother moving.

"Cupcake?" Alicia said as she placed the cupcake in Kate's line of vision. The vanilla cupcake with frosting that looked delicious.

"Yes" Kate said as she sat up and drew her knees up to her chest and picked up the cupcake and licked the icing that she had on her finger.

"You want to talk about it?" Alicia asked. She knew Kate well enough to know the woman had gone back to see Malcolm and since she couldn't drink herself into a stupor, cupcakes were the next best thing.

"I think I'd prefer to just push my feelings down. You know keep it compressed so that way they can come up at random inappropriate times" Kate told her sarcastically. Alicia smiled as she sat down next to Kate on the couch. Tears filled the redhead's eyes. "I told him I loved him and he said 'I know but it doesn't change anything' he just walked away." Kate said as she focussed on her cupcake like she were performing delicate brain surgery instead of scraping the icing off the top and licking it off her fingers.

"He wants to think. Nothing worse than Malcolm Wallace thinking but I'll wait for him until he reaches the final conclusion that he wants me out of his life, I should consider myself lucky I'm a construction worker. We shouldn't cross paths too much" Kate said nodding her head while she spoke with matter of fact but tone but she wasn't fooling Alicia who could see the pain in her features.

"Oh Kate" Alicia said as she wrapped her arms around Kate's shoulders and pulled her into a hug as best she could. Kate choked out a small sob as she leaned into the embrace while still holding her cupcake.

* * *

TBC~ See you all next week! Promise there will be more Alicia & Taylor time :-)


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: A big thank you to metube and Smurf5 for reviews! I've decided last update was incredibly long! So my thoughts are that I will cut down to shorter chapters that way maybe more updates?… Would this be a good thing? Please let me know your preference :-) Also do we want Lucas Dead or Alive? Majority will win and I'll write that direction!  
_

* * *

"We should talk about the possibility that Lucas is still alive" Jim said the next morning in the Command Centre. Taylor wore a grim expression with Alicia who shifted uncomfortably in her chair as the three of them were sitting at the conference table. In half an hour the senior staff members would be arriving for their weekly meeting.

"He survived two shots to the chest I'm sure he could survive a severed hand if Escher treated him properly… You two know something" Jim stated.

"Escher is someone we both knew before coming to Terra Nova" Taylor said.

"Ok, ex-soldier?" Jim asked.

"No" Alicia answered.

"Ok, I need more information than what you two are giving me" Jim said.

"The hand was just a key. It's needed it to open the device. Lucas's remains are most likely to be displayed somewhere in the Jungle waiting for us to find" Taylor said his jaw twitched and his stomach turned at the thought of his own flesh and blood somewhere out in the jungle like food for scavengers.

"You-" Jim started only to be cut off.

"I know that my son is dead." Taylor told Jim with grim certainty. Jim could see the pain in Taylor's expression. Just because Lucas had been off his rocker and tried to kill his own father it didn't stop Taylor from feeling the grief of losing a son any less. Jim also knew that Taylor deserved the chance to lay Lucas to rest if they could find it.

"Ok, then if we are supposed to find Lucas's remains. We will find them and by 'we' I mean Kate and I. So I'll talk with Mira and come up with some locations to start the search. Anything you can give Kate and I to help us would also be good" Jim said. He really wanted to know what Alicia and Taylor were so reluctant to tell him. Jim also knew it was better for Taylor not to see his son's remains desecrated, the man needed some sense of peace not another bad memory.

"You want Kate for your deputy" Taylor stated.

"Tell me it's not a good fit. The Sixers and the Soldiers respect her. She highly trained soldier. She has a good eye for details, handy with a gun, she's proven more than once she's willing to lay her life on the line to protect this colony…" he listed off a few more good attributes of Kate's that suited the bill for a good detective and cop "So you disapprove?" he asked Taylor.

"No, but you're going to have a hell of a time convincing her to say yes" Taylor said.

"Well I planned on just making her think she's just helping me out and skip the whole 'asking' her part" Jim said with a smile. In actual fact he was going to ask her in a few days after whatever was happening between her and Malcolm settled itself. He knew the would say 'no' on reflex if he asked today where as a few days she would think about the offer.

* * *

Later that morning,

"It's come to my attention that the Command Chain of the Colony is in need of restructuring due to our current and most probably permanent situation of being severed from 2149. As such the newly proposed Command structure will accomodate so both Military and Civilian contingents in Terra Nova will be represented equally." Taylor said to Senior staff members at the table. They had run through the normal schedule of updates from the department heads. Alicia sat to his left with Kate and Mira and Jim who sat at the other end of the table. While on his right were Guzman, Maiko Uotani and Dr Wallace.

"As such some people will be stepping down while others step up in a 3 week transition phase. Lieutenant Washington will be the first in stepping down as my second in command for the colony. She will remain as my second in command for Military contingent and Military advisor but she-" Taylor started.

"Who's stepping in as Second in Command for the Colony?" Mira asked cutting Taylor off, she wondered how it would affect her people and the agreement they had made. Taylor pursed his lips not impressed at being interrupted but Mira didn't care it was a valid question. She was amazed she had been invited to the meeting and had been recognised as a leader with respect instead of being pushed into the background. She sat next to Kate who was sitting in the meeting as Baz's representative as the old coot despised meetings that didn't involve a cold alcoholic beverage.

"Jim Shannon" Taylor answered.

"Don't get too excited about it Taylor" Jim said dryly, those at the table chuckled as did Taylor.

"Why is Lt Washington stepping down? I understand the need for restructuring but isn't that a demotion? I-" Malcolm started only to be cut off by Alicia.

"I offered to step down for my own personal reasons" Alicia stated. Malcolm nodded not questioning it. Originally they were going to share the news about their plans to get married and her pregnancy but Alicia had told him she'd rather wait until she was in her second trimester to share the news. By then there would be physical signs and they agreed that they wanted to have their nuptials in a private ceremony. If they decided to have a ceremony, Alicia was happy to just sign a piece of paper and have Taylor put a ring on her finger.

Taylor waited for more questions before he continued to line out how the command structure would change over the next week and when they would announce it to the colony etc. until Mira asked about the progress on the Terminus and Lucas.

"Dr Wallace?" Taylor prompted Malcolm who couldn't seem to keep his eyes from wandering to look at Kate who was staring at some mark on the table with disinterest. Taylor didn't take offence as he knew Kate could repeat the meeting verbatim to him.

"The terminus will take a while to fix but to be honest at least 6 months to a year maybe more" Malcolm said.

"Maybe more?" Mira asked in disbelief.

"Yes, I have to fabricate parts from scratch and not to mention find the materials in Terra Nova to make them. Let's not forget about the fact that we have no idea how to locate a fracture back to 2149. If there is another fracture at all" Malcolm told them.

"But you told Hooper-" Mira started only to be cut off by Malcolm.

"I lied, the truth is what I said before which is that this is going to take time" Malcolm told her.

"What about the purpley thingymabob?" Kate asked using her hands to gesture the objects dimensions, she knew Lucas's hand was being kept quiet but the device wasn't.

"You have found his device?" Mira asked as she hadn't been told.

"Kate and I searched Escher's house yesterday, I was going to talk to you about it after the meeting." Jim said to Mira, she narrowed her eyes at him assessing if he was being honest or not before she nodded acceptance of the information.

"Sorry" Kate said she made the decision right then that it was best to keep her mouth shut.

"What about Lucas?" Mira asked Taylor in a sharp tone.

"We are going find Lucas" Taylor said, he left off the dead or alive. He didn't need Mira getting up in arms about them deliberately trying to sabotage the terms of the agreement.

"Either way this will take a long time and what does it matter if we have the equations and no working Terminus or vice versa we are still cut off. It will take time and you will have to be patient" Malcolm said with an exhausted sigh.

"Ok then give me a list of what you need and I'll get some people onto it. See if we can harvest the materials from other systems etc. Let's see if we can get the Terminus fixed while Shannon and Kate find Lucas" Taylor said.

* * *

The meeting drifted to colony issues for another half an hour before they called an end. Taylor asked for Kate and Jim to remain while the others were dismissed. He watched Alicia leave the room with Guzman talking about the soldier rotation on the north east perimeter before turning back to Jim and Kate.

"What I'm about to say stays between the three of us." Taylor said as he sat back down at the conference table. He picked up a plex and accessed the central database typing in his private security access code and opening up access to Ellyas's records.

"On this plex is everything you need to know about Escher. It does not leave this room" He handed the plex to Kate as she would be able to find it more useful that Jim. "I need you two to find what is left of my son out there and bring him back to the colony for a proper burial. I want to know this is finally over. I want to lay my son to rest" Taylor told them.

"We'll do our best" Jim assured him. Kate nodded in agreement as she looked up from the plex.

* * *

"What are you reading so intensely?" Carter asked Kate when he walked into the command centre hours later. Kate turned the plex into standby blanking the screen before looking up at Carter who was standing in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you" Carter told her.

"Me? Why?" Kate asked she looked around the centre to find it empty and amazed that she hadn't noticed that Taylor had left the room but then she had been reading Escher who was actually Declan Ellyas. She knew the only reason she had access was that her training allowed her to get inside of her enemies mind and predict patterns of behaviour.

"Baz sent me, wants me with you" Carter said as he moved into the room and took a seat in the chair next to her at the conference table. Kate made a derisive noise.

"Right" Kate told him.

"I'm serious, call him. He wants us to go for a lovely stroll together and do a proper damage assessment" Carter told her.

"I was doing that at two o'clock with Turtle" Kate told him.

"It's two and he's been delegated elsewhere" he told her.

"What?" Kate asked surprised she pulled out her phone and looked at the time. She dropped her head back and sighed as she had let time slip away from her. She turned off the plex and grimaced as she had been so absorbed now she was feeling all the aches and pains.

"You haven't had lunch or pain killers have you?" He asked as he wore an amused expression as she made slow pained movements and rose from her seat walking like an old lady and placing the plex on Taylor's desk. "Must have been some read. What were you reading?"

"History" Kate told him. She pulled the pill container from her pocket and dry swallowed a tablet as she knew two would make her want to go to sleep. "Let's get this over with" Kate said.

"Just what every man loved to hear but first we get some food, maybe something to drink then we'll work. I don't need you passing out on me" Carter told her.

"I'm not going to pass out and I'm not hungry"

"Humour me by eating something you're a skeleton" Carter told her. Kate made a face at his comment before following out of the room.

* * *

"You know Lucas could be alive. It's possible" Alicia said as she and Taylor were walking the perimeter before checking in with Baz about the construction schedule. They always walked the perimeter to discuss sensitive situations as it gave them a chance to stretch their legs from the command centre and gave them a chance to show their presence to the Soldiers so they didn't slack off.

"We both know that's not Ellyas's M.O. Kate will tell you the same once she is finished consuming what's on the plex" Taylor said.

"You know as well as I that Ellyas made trophies of his women. There could be a chance that he kept Lucas-"

"Alicia" he said in an exhausted tone, it was the mix of him using her first name and the tone that made her stop. She didn't know why she was pressing the issue but knew that Taylor had resolved himself to the fact his son was dead.

"I'm sorry about Ellyas and everything he's done" Alicia told Taylor

"You shouldn't be, it wasn't your fault" Taylor said.

"I know but I feel responsible and I hate knowing that Ellyas did this because of some sick twisted revenge and everybody that we know has been dragged into it and hurt thanks to me." Alicia vented as she recognised the guilt gnawing on her insides. Taylor stopped walking and turned to her. He gave her a serious look.

"Alicia, we all have a past. Yours came and bit you in the ass but it's over now and luckily all the damage will repair itself. Shannon and Kate will find Lucas and we'll lay this whole chapter of our life to rest and move on." Taylor told her. Alicia nodded acknowledging what he was saying.

"Ok" Alicia said letting go of some of the weight on her shoulders.

"I assume that whatever is happening between Kate and Malcolm has gotten worse?" Taylor asked changing the topic as he didn't want to think of Lucas out in the Jungle.

"It's not better. Anyway I thought we were supposed to stay out of their business" Alicia said.

"Can't help it if their relationship is affecting their work" Taylor said Alicia shook her head incredulously.

"Nathaniel Taylor, you are such a drama king and it's only been 2 days. Give it week before making such statements. They are both professionals and besides the slight snapping from Malcolm that one time and the awkwardness they are handling it as best they can" Alicia said.

"Well then looks like allowing Shannon to have Kate help him is a good thing" Taylor said.

"Could you imagine her being a deputy?" Alicia asked.

"Probably complain about not having a badge" Taylor joked he looked to Alicia as he had expected her to have a witty reply only to find her looking incredibly pale. "Wash?" he asked she took a slow inhale and held her hand up. After a few moments and slow breaths passed, she dropped her hand and opened eyes to look at him.

"Sorry, nausea is really bad. You know, I feel like I should carry a bucket with me everywhere. Just in case" Alicia grumbled, she had left her anti-nausea meds at home and the once she had taken at breakfast were wearing off. Or so the imminent threat of lunch wanting to make a return visit told her. she had hoped she might be able to go without the meds but it looked like she was going to have to stick to them.

"Second trimester will be easier when your hormones settle down" Taylor assured her. Alicia looked at him surprise as she had not expected him to say that.

"What? I have a plex too" he told her in response to her look. "You want to quiz me?" he asked.

"Maybe later" Alicia drawled.

* * *

Saturday after lunch Kate went to pick up Zoe, they raided the Shannon linen closet of bed sheets and light weight blankets. Zoe had been talking Kate's ear off about what she was learning in school when Carter materialised by Kate's side. It unnerved her when he did that but she blamed the pain killers for dulling her senses.

"Here, let me take that for you and you little lady" Carter said to Kate and Zoe as they were both carrying two piles of blankets. He pulled the piles of blankets from Kate and Zoe and held them under his arm with ease before Kate could even tell him to take a hike.

"So what's with the blankets?" Carter asked after Kate and Zoe exchanged looks and decided to let him carry the bed sheets and blankets for the rest of the way.

"We're making a blanket fort" Zoe answered.

Kate and Carter had run into Maddy and Zoe at the market yesterday when Carter insisted on making her eat. Kate made the introductions. Maddy was slightly reluctant to shake Carter's hand but he didn't show any signs of being insulted. Zoe on the other hand was far too excited about Kate's primate friend that had woken up and wanted to play than give Carter any attention. They had a brief conversation before Kate made noise to Carter that they had work letting the girls go back to what they were doing.

"Really?" Carter said to Kate.

"Yeah, Zoe and I are going to build the biggest fort. Aren't we?" Kate asked Zoe.

"Yep we are going to have tunnels and everything" Zoe said.

"Impressive" Carter commented.

"Hopefully it will be." Kate said.

"You know, I could help you build it as I can lift my arms above me head and heavy furniture" Carter offered. Kate narrowed her eyes at him wondering what he was up to. The last few days he'd been hanging around her and helping her with things and work. The only time she escaped him was when Alicia or Jim showed up needing her help that he would leave her alone. She figured he was just trying to stay on her good side. Either way she was not letting him into Taylor's place.

"No we'll be fine. It's not our first blanket fort" Kate assured him.

"And it's girl's only. No boys allowed" Zoe piped up.

"Don't say it" Kate said in a low voice to Carter as she knew exactly what his reply would be. It would be along the lines of 'I'm a man not a boy' but laden with sexual innuendo. He smiled at her which only confirmed her assumptions that he was going to respond inappropiately.

"Ok, well at least let me carry your supplies. Where are you going?" he asked.

"Taylor's house" Kate replied.

* * *

Saturday night, Taylor opened the front door let Alicia step in first before he followed. He wondered if he had stepped into the wrong house. Where his dining room and living room used to be was now what could only be described as the largest blanket fort Taylor had seen constructed indoors. He wasn't even sure how he was supposed to navigate his way to the bathroom let alone the bedroom.

He looked to Alicia who was sporting a smile. "You knew this was going happen" he said in a low voice as it was past 10pm and figured the girls were sleeping somewhere in the house.

"Yep" Alicia said proudly his facial expression upon seeing the fort was priceless.

"Is that a pulley system?" he asked pointing to the ceiling. It looked like Kate had been a little too industrious in her fort making. He made a not to find out who had helped her considering he knew for a fact she couldn't lift her arms up to install it.

"Well how else was it going to be suspended when she can't lift anything?" Alicia asked innocently as she was trying not to laugh. Taylor shook his head at her. "Don't look at me like that. You said 'yes' to having the Shannon girls over." She reminded him.

"Didn't think the interior of the house would be renovated. I'll have to be careful what I agree to next time" Taylor mused.

"Or get used to it. I like Kate and her blanket fort adventures. Though this is a little overboard" Alicia conceded as Taylor gave her a look.

"Come on, follow me" she grabbed his hand and found an opening in the sheets. They had to duck down as they quietly made their way through the fort. They stopped as they reached the centre or the 'main' room of the fort which was lit by a small chem. light. There on the floor half buried under pillows, doonas and Zoe's toys were Maddy and Kate with Zoe in the middle. The three girls were in deep, peaceful sleep.

It was easy to picture their kids sleeping just like the girls currently were. It stirred old emotions in him that he had when he used to watch Lucas sleep as a kid and a strong sense of anticipation as he couldn't wait for their children to be in the world even though it was months away. He looked to Alicia and saw the soft smile playing on her lips as she carefully adjusted the blanket that was over Zoe and covered her feet that were sticking out.

She retreated back and looked at Taylor for a moment still smiling. She pointed towards a makeshift tunnel to where he could only assume was their room.

* * *

_TBC- Don't worry I will update Thursday my time (for those in the Northern Hemisphere it's your Wednesday)... So let me know about Lucas and chapter length and updates :-)  
_


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: A huge thanks to metube, Terra Nova- Falling Skies fan and Jim Shannon for reviewing! I love reviews they make me smile and I have adhered to your wishes to a certain extent! Lucas will be brought in and will live.. that's all I'm spoiling..Also I apologise the chapter is a bit of mess as I was struggling between what to write and my uni essay which is done! So I promise to pick up my game for next update! Please Enjoy!_

* * *

A week later, Alicia came home and found Kate lying on the lounge asleep with her little primate friend on her chest also asleep. It was incredibly adorable sight. She moved to the kitchen and started on dinner. It had been a long week for everyone in the Taylor household.

Taylor had become withdrawn and more quiet than he usual was. The last few days as Mira, Jim and Kate would come back from OTG empty handed. They knew the search for Lucas's remains would take time. Lucas had been nomadic in his years OTG.

Kate had also become withdrawn in her own way as Malcolm who was still giving her the cold treatment. Alicia couldn't understand what was holding Malcolm back. Kate was like a forlorn puppy waiting for him to take her back. At least she kept busy helping Jim and Mira and when she wasn't OTG she was working with Carter and Curran. She basically supervised the construction of her new house which Carter remarked all Kate did was lay in her bath tub and slept the whole time while the boys did all the hard work.

Alicia on the other hand was perfectly fine, everything going well bar Taylor's unusually quiet nature. She knew it weighed heavily on him to lose Lucas as Lucas was his first son and also the only part of Ayani he had left in the world. She couldn't begin to imagine the pain of losing his family was affecting him at the moment. She knew it was definitely shadowing his thoughts for the future of their children.

Alicia smiled as placed a hand on her lower abdomen. There were no bump or anything different from last week that she could feel but she couldn't help but pretend for a moment before she went back to making dinner. She couldn't help her excitement and she was happy, she just hoped everything would work out for Kate and Taylor and they could find Lucas quickly and smoothly.

Taylor came through the door about half an hour later, he walked up behind her and kissed her neck in greeting.

"That smells delicious" he told her as she was currently sautéing the vegetables in the wok.

"It will be ready in another 10 minutes" she informed him as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"Anything I can do?" he asked.

"Wake Kate up" Alicia said.

"She's been sleeping a lot more lately" Taylor commented. It was true while Kate woke up the same time as Taylor and Alicia in the morning, she was also having morning and afternoon naps and going to bed early every night.

"She works too much but at least she's taking the time to rest unlike some people" Alicia said looking pointedly at Taylor.

"I have a broken humerus. I'll be out of my sling in two days. I don't need time off. you sure she should be sleeping so much?" Taylor mumbled in a low voice. Alicia knew he was worried as Kate was under a lot of stress and she had a nice bottle of pills to indulge herself into an early coma to avoid thinking. He wouldn't blame her as it was starting to get on everyone's nerves how Kate and Malcolm were acting. Well how Malcolm was acting more than Kate as the woman just followed orders with only a few outbursts of annoyance and violence which were solely directed at Carter. But the man deserved every foot stomp and clip over the head he got.

"I'm keeping an eye on her meds and there are no signs she's dosing herself to slee. If thats what you're worried about" Alicia said in a low voice.

"And how are you?" he asked changing topic.

"Very good" She told him with a smile, even though she was still suffering nausea and massive fatigue. She couldn't wait to go to bed and lay down but hunger stopped her from doing so at present time. "Now go wake her up. I'm starving"

* * *

"Good Morning Dr Wallace, I'm here for the list. Oh holy- what is with all the spiders?" Kate asked as she walked up to the table in the research lab. She would have placed her hands on the table if it was covered in many specimen jars of spiders. It was probably the best way he could communicate that he did not want her there.

"I'm going over Dr Haynes's other projects" Malcolm said as he was looking at one of the spiders under a microscope. Kate tried not to roll her eyes at how predictable that the woman she hated most in the colony would have a spider fetish another creature Kate hated.

"Right, could I please have the list?" Kate asked trying to make their visit as brief as possible as she couldn't stand being in the room with him without feeling the pain of his rejection and the foolishness of herself for thinking he would love her no matter what. It was blatantly obvious he didn't want her there as he had her kryptonite on the table.

Malcolm got up from his chair and picked up a hand held plex and handed it to Kate. She took the small plex and scrolled down the list.

"This is a lot of materials" Kate commented.

"The terminus is in very bad disrepair" Malcolm said as he watched her. She wore a grey man's shirt with the sleeves rolled up and forest green cotton wide leg yoga style pants. Her red hair was pulled back into a high bun that his fingers ached to remove so her hair would fall loose around her face and shoulders.

"Can't say I'm sorry to hear that" Kate said not looking up from the plex.

"So how long will you and Carter take to find the materials?" Malcolm asked.

"I don't know, I'll give the list to Baz and let him sort it out as I'm working with the sheriff for the next few days" Kate said.

"Carter isn't helping you?" Malcolm asked innocently.

"What's your fascination with Carter?" Kate asked as it was the way Malcolm said Carter's name. It was easy to see Malcolm was jealous. He always had the worst poker face.

"I'm not fascinated, I just heard that you and he are working a lot together these days… well that two were doing more than just working actually" he drawled, it was true he had heard talk and while he dismissed it at first his mind couldn't help but notice the sixer hanging around Kate the last few days. The way the two smiled and how Carter was always around her. He couldn't help the direction his thoughts went.

"Seriously? You want to go there?" Kate asked him with raised eyebrows as she placed the plex on the table and gave him her full attention.

"I heard the rumours around the Colony-" he started.

"Right, I'm only going to say this once" Kate said as she placed her hands on the lab table and locked eyes with him, she barely noticed that her infant primate had crawled off her arm onto the table. "I love you. I am, and will wait for you to take me back no matter how pathetic it makes me appear to you and the colony but if this is your way of telling me it's over then at least just come out and say it" she said in a low voice. Tears burned her eyes as she hated how everything was turning out.

Before Malcolm could answer jars on the table fell over on the table they both looked down to see her primate friend had scurried across the table to the microscope and grab the spider that was under the scope. He quickly grabbed it and shoved the spider in his mouth. He then began greedily eating every available arachnid specimens on the table like a kid given a free pass in a candy store.

"Oh my god!" Malcolm exclaimed as he tried to grab the primate only for it to run around the table. Kate started laughing and wincing but soon stifled it as Malcolm shot her a dark look.

"He is supposed to be in a cage" Malcolm told Kate. Kate stifled a smile as she had a new found love for her companion as he munched up the last of the spider.

"He doesn't like his cage and I don't see the point in keeping him in one when he's not dangerous or poisonous." Kate explained.

"He's vicious he tried to bite Dr Haynes on several occasions" Malcolm said.

"Yes the woman who stole him from his home, family and kept him prisoner in a cage all in the name of scientific research. If I were him I'd bite her too" Kate said folding her arms.

"Kate, get him off the table before he eats another 6 months worth of research" Malcolm told her a warning tone.

"Hey don't get miffed at me. You left him in my care. He's healthy and happy. I can't help it if he loves to eat spiders" Kate said as she picked the mischievous primate up off the table by the tail before he tried breaking jars to get to another spider.

"He ate Dr Haynes's research" Malcolm said as he rubbed a hand over his face before watching as Kate smiled at the little primate that crawled up his tail and up onto Kate's forearm. She let go of his tail and the primate disappeared up her sleeve. Malcolm had to marvel at how comfortable she was with the primate. It seemed like it was second nature to her compared to the first time the primate crawled up her dress.

"I'm not going apologise for that either. He's just doing what comes naturally to him. He's a wild animal the only reason he clings to me is for protection and physical comfort. I don't control him" Kate said.

"I know but that's what the cage is for. What if you lose him?"

"I won't"

"Really?" Malcolm asked sceptically.

"I left him sleeping on a plant at Taylor's place two days ago and he found me in the mess hall having lunch. If there was someone to be jealous of it should be the monkey!" Kate told him.

"Primate" Malcolm corrected, They stopped for a moment and both smiled as he was always forever correcting her and making her repeat names of plants until she said them correctly. It had become a thing. That was until he realised she had no problem saying the words she just like seeing him get a little worked up. Malcolm smiled as it felt like old times, he missed her and he missed them together.

"I miss you" he told her vocalising his thoughts as he took her hand in his. "I-" he stopped when he heard her phone beep. "You should get that" he told her.

"No it can wait." She told him, she pulled out her phone and turned it off and threw it over her shoulder "Please finish what you were going to say" Kate said.

"Your phone-"

"Malcolm, forget about the phone and talk to me" Kate said she wanted to know what he was going to say. He opened his mouth to speak only to be interrupted.

"Malcolm darling" Haynes sang as she came into the lab. Kate winced at how 'darling' rolled off the woman's lips like one would call a lover. "You left this at my house last night" Haynes said as she held out a Malcolm's jacket and gave a salacious smile. She looked at Kate and the scene "My apologies, am I interrupting something?" She asked.

Kate looked at the Jacket that was left behind 'last night' and Haynes calling him 'darling' then to Malcolm drawing her own conclusions now understanding why he was jealous of Carter. It wasn't jealously at all. She looked to Malcolm waiting for him to say something but he just looked oddly confused and remained silent.

"I just accidently dropped my phone" Kate said as she moved to pick up her phone off the floor. She ignored the pain from her ribs and her slight head spin from moving too quickly. "I'll get Baz to call you when he has the supplies and materials you need" Kate told Malcolm as she picked up the handheld plex.

"Kate, could we meet for coffee later?" he asked her.

"I've got a busy schedule let me get back to you" Kate said as she left the labs as fast as she could. She turned on her phone and cursed as she had two messages one from Baz and the other from Taylor.

* * *

"I hate your phone" Taylor told Kate when she walked into the Command Centre. Kate tossed the phone on the Taylor's desk.

"Take it and give me a comm. unit" Kate said in a resigned tone as she sat down in the chair next to Jim opposite Taylor's desk. Taylor and Jim exchanged looks as Kate had fought tooth and nail to keep her phone and get it working again and here she was tossing it to him. Taylor didn't hate the phone he was just saying it to get a rise as Kate usually replied with a sarcastic remark and a smile. It was a thing they would go through and have a laugh something they both needed considering the past week.

Taylor got up from his desk and moved to a side desk opening it and pulling out a comm. unit and setting it up for her before he returned to his chair. He tossed it to Kate who caught it with ease.

"You alright?" Jim asked Kate as she was acting unusual for herself.

"Perfectly fine. What's going on?" Kate asked as she pocketed the comm. unit in her pocket.

"I spoke with Mira and she said that Lucas had a hideaway in the mountains but it's about 271 clicks from here. What?" Jim asked her as she wore an amused smile.

"I still can't believe an American using the metric system like it's old hat" Kate said casually.

"I'll have you know we've been using the metric system for a long while now" he informed her.

"So roughly about 3 hours and 5 minutes in change" Kate said getting back to being professional mode.

"How do you do that?" he asked as he passed her the plex he was holding.

"I'm good with numbers" Kate said with a shrug as she took the plex from his hands and looked at the map on the screen. "But I won't be able to scale mountains in my current condition"

"I know, but there is a pulley system like what the sixers have installed there. You ready to get out of the Colony for a while?" Jim asked her.

"Definitely, I just have to drop this list off to Baz" Kate told him as she flashed the plex Malcolm had given her.

"I'll pass it on for you as I'm meeting with the man in an hour" Taylor said holding a hand out for the plex.

"Thanks" Kate said as handed it to him grateful that she wouldn't have to walk to the far west of the colony.

"We also called you in for another matter" Taylor said.

"Oh?" Kate asked.

"I want you to become my deputy" Jim said. Kate laughed like it was the funniest thing she had heard when she realised Taylor and Jim weren't laughing. She stopped laughing and looked at them.

"Is this a joke?" Kate asked as she rubbed her chest. Pain meds only did so much.

"No joke, hear me out" Jim said as he watched her expression change. "You're perfect-"

"I'm persona non grata not perfect" Kate scoffed "I'm also pretty sure a deputy is supposed to be respected not feared or the laughing stock of the people he or she serves" Kate said as she looked away.

"Laughing stock?" Taylor questioned.

"I hear the rumours going around the colony" Kate said though she was pretty sure Dr Haynes was having a good cackle._ The bitch_ Kate thought. She rubbed a hand across her forehead and gave a sigh.

"Don't say 'no' because of other people. Just think about yourself and what you want for your future" Taylor told her. He knew that Kate made her decisions based on the popular decision of what people thought best of her and with her on the outs with Malcolm. Taylor didn't want her to say 'no' in the hopes it would get her back in the cosmic good books.

"Either way crime is pretty low and if you want to still work construction that's fine. Baz and I can sit down with you and nut out a schedule that works for you. We can also sit down and discuss the role in further detail." Jim said.

"Can I think about?" Kate asked as she felt they were determined to make her say 'yes' and right in the moment she wanted nothing more than to say 'no' and go lie in her bath tub and take a long nap before finding a reason to clip Carter up side of his head. But then the idea of OTG trip sounded even better even if Jim was going to spend the next 6 hours telling her to take the job as Deputy.

It was preferable to be completely exhausted and zoned out when Malcolm and she have their coffee and he finally breaks up with her after he explains away why Haynes was calling him 'darling' and why he left his jacket at her place last night. _Yeah, I need to be exhausted or drunk_ Kate thought and as being drunk wasn't an option with her meds exhaustion would have to do.

"Sure I'll give you a week" Jim said.

"So shall we hit the road?" Kate asked him.

* * *

"Commander, here's the plans for the extension. It will take a week tops including the installation of new windows" Baz told him. Taylor raised an eyebrow as this was the first he had heard about extensions for his house.

He took the plex from Baz and looked over the plans. All of Terra Nova's houses were kit homes which made construction go fast and efficient. Only the plumbing, electrical, finishing touches i.e. were the time consuming parts of the house.

"I didn't ask for an extension on my house" Taylor said.

"Kate's gifting it to you. Said something about how she plans on having 6 kids in the future and you're going to retire to babysit them all. Who the baby daddy is going to be is a mystery now. Next week good?" Baz asked with amused smile.

"Are the other repairs around the Colony finished?" Taylor asked.

"On the civilian side? Yes, I want your place repaired before I devote my workers to start new housing on the east side of the colony" Baz said.

"Fine" Taylor said as he handed the plex back to Baz.

"So Kate tells me Lt Washington is stepping down" Baz commented.

"Yes, Shannon is taking her place as my second in command for the colony. Do you have a problem with command change?" Taylor asked.

"No, I don't give two shakes who runs this joint as long as I can work my own hours and have half day Friday for drinks" Baz said apathetically. Taylor had to appreciate the man's honesty, he was not into office politics he made no bones about how his job was just that a job. He worked hard and when the clock chimed at 3 pm he called it quits with no excuses.

"Good, you coming to the meeting next week or should I expect Kate in your stead?" Taylor asked.

"Will there be booze?" Baz asked.

"No" Taylor said shaking his head at Baz, the old man had no patience for sitting down for longer than 20 minutes unless there was a beverage in one hand and a meal on the table.

"Well then I'll send my second in command" Baz said with an amused smile as he got up from his chair. "See you bright and Early next week" Baz said

"I look forward to it" Taylor said he watched as Baz left the room not before he tipped his head to Alicia who was walking in as he left the room.

"Commander, the roster for next week" Alicia said as she handed the plex she was holding to Taylor.

"Thank you Wash." He said as he took the plex and gestured for her to take a seat. "Baz tells me he's putting an extension on the house next week"

"That's quick" Alicia commented, Kate hadn't been joking when she said she'd get the extensions complete before Alicia reached her second trimester.

"Apparently it's a gift from Kate who plans to have 4 kids and make me baby sit." Taylor said, Alicia chuckled as she could just imagine that conversation.

"I guess it's a tossup on who'll be the baby's father. If rumours are right then it will be Carter. Just imagine sharing a Sunday dinner with him" Alicia said with a laugh as Taylor made a face that said he'd rather sit through a sexual harassment seminar.

"Have we heard anything from Kate or Shannon yet?" Taylor asked.

* * *

"I heard your place will be finished in two weeks time" Reilly said to Kate as she and Kate sat in the back of the Rhino while Jim and Mira were in the front. They had been driving through the jungle for the past two hours or so. Most of the ride Kate had been asleep until ten minutes ago when she had woken up.

"Yep, you want to move in with me?" Kate asked. She knew the soldiers were all cramped in the barracks and Reilly was one of Kate's closest friends.

"Shouldn't you ask Lt Washington first before offering?" Reilly asked.

"We will have three bedrooms" Kate said, she had forgotten that Taylor and Alicia still hadn't mentioned their future bliss to everyone yet. It was one of the reasons Kate asked Reilly if she wanted to move in. She didn't want to live alone and she and Reilly were good friends it seemed like a good fit. "I'll talk with Alicia but I'm sure she won't mind as long as we set up a bathroom schedule" Kate added with a smile.

"If it is approved, then hell yes! It's been a long time since I've had a room to myself and not share a shower with 40 other men and women" Reilly said with a smile.

"I don't envy you" Kate said returning the smile. she moved from her seat and stuck her head in the space between Mira and Jim. "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? How much further?" Kate peppered them like an excited 5 year old.

"Just around the corner" Jim told her. Kate smiled at how he sounded like a dad tired of his annoying child when he replied.

"It never ceases to amaze me how juvenile you can be" Mira told Kate.

"I'm young at heart" Kate told her.

"You and Carter are two sides of the same coin" Mira told her.

"Don't you start about him with me as well" Kate said as she remembered Malcolm's slightly veiled accusation. She looked at the map on the dashboard and the red spot which indicated their progress.

"As well?" Mira prompted. Kate groaned dropping her head for a moment.

"Malcolm had the nerve to infer I'm cheating on him with Carter when he's stepping out on me with Haynes" Kate said she said Haynes's name like it was poison.

"Haynes?" Reilly asked as she thought she hadn't heard Kate correctly.

"Yeah, she strolled in all 'Malcolm Darling' and holding his jacket talking about how he left it at her place last night. I just wanted to melt into the floor as he's probably trying to find the polite way to say 'I miss you but I'm now with Haynes. Please don't murder me in my sleep' but couldn't" Kate said rather dramatically as she sat back in her seat.

"Haynes plays dirty. Trust me she has been after Malcolm for years. So don't listen to a thing she says, she's just trying to sink her claws in as she thinks Malcolm is fair game" Reilly told her.

"What are you going to do?" Jim asked Kate.

"I don't know, I'm having coffee with him this afternoon but I doubt it will end well. I had to see him this morning for business with the terminus and the man covered the whole table in spiders so that I wouldn't stick around and then threw a man-tanty at me because the monkey ate a few of the spiders which was apparently 6 months worth of research" Kate said rolling her eyes.

"Seriously?" Jim asked as he and the others laughed at the absurdity of the whole situation. It was common knowledge Kate had a strong phobia of spiders. That and they wished they could see Malcolm getting upset over a tiny monkey thwarting his research of arachnid species.

"Man-tanty?" Mira asked in a wary tone.

"When a grown man throws a tantrum. Man-tanty. Carter throws them all the time" Kate told her waving a dismissive hand.

"No I just make this up to amuse you guys" Kate told him dryly.

"Ok we're here" Jim said changing topic as he slowed the rhino to a complete stop.

* * *

They all got out of the rhino and moved carefully and quietly through the dense brush of the jungle below the mountain side. They could see the opening of the cave about 100 metres up and the pulley system. They followed Mira who knew her way around the traps and trip wires set for intruders. It took them a slow half an hour by foot to reach the pulley system and one by one they went to the top.

Once outside the mouth of the Cave, Jim looked at Mira.

"Ladies first" he gestured to Mira, the woman rolled her eyes as she strolled into the cave. "Reilly, stay out here and just keep an eye out for dinos" Jim ordered.

"Yes sir" Reilly said as she took up her post. Jim turned to Kate.

"Age before beauty" He told her. Kate frowned for a moment until she realised he was referring her actual birthday that made her over a century older than him in his timeline.

"Oh you're hysterical" She told him sarcastically before following Mira inside.

* * *

"Well it smells like something has died in here" Kate commented as the stench of wet earth and rotting flesh hit them. Jim coughed slightly as the stench was strong, Kate on the other hand was glad she was on pain meds as it dulled her senses otherwise she'd be gagging herself. They walked through a small passage that opened up into a large room. She flashed her torch around taking in the mixture of papers covered mathematical equations similar to what Jim and Kate had found in Escher's place.

"Probably Lucas" Mira commented as she flashed her torch on the cot in the room, lying on it was Lucas Taylor, he was filthy as he laid prone on the cot not moving. His right arm with a missing hand hanging over the edge with a dirty bandaged nub. All of him was filthy. He was gaunt and barely moving.

"So who's wants to make the call?" Kate asked looking to Jim and Mira. Mira gave the look that she was not going anywhere the cot if she could help it, so Kate looked to Jim. She held out her fist and they played scissor, paper, rocked as to who would check for Lucas's pulse. Jim winced as he lost and moved over to the cot where Lucas was lying. He crouched down and reached over to feel Lucas's pulse.

"He's alive." Jim told them.

"What?" Kate said.

"He has a pulse. It's weak but it's there" Jim said surprised.

* * *

4 hours later,

Kate, Jim, Reilly and Mira returned to the Colony with the near-dead Lucas in tow. After depositing him into Elisabeth care they all went their separate ways to shower and eat etc. then Kate and Jim returned to the Infirmary where they stood with Taylor and Alicia. Elisabeth was talking in great detail about Lucas's current condition that was not looking good.

"He's not in good form. He's suffering from a bacterial infection, dehydration and malnutrition" Elisabeth said. The medical staff had scrubbed Lucas clean and he looked better for it in Kate's opinion as she looked at Lucas's prone form and placed him on a bio-bed with vital monitors, and IV drip. She felt slightly panicked as looking at him reminded her of their time together during the occupation. She stepped away from the group as she remembered she needed to get her pain meds refilled.

"We have him a broad spectrum antibiotic, and IV fluids. I'm afraid there isn't anything more than that we can do for him except make him as comfortable as possible and see what happens." Elisabeth told them.

"Thank you Doc" Taylor said he turned to Jim first.

"Thank you for bringing my boy home" Taylor told him as he offered a hand to Jim. Jim shook his hand but said nothing.

"Wash I need you to take over the colony for the time being" he told her as he gripped Alicia's upper arm for strength and comfort. His son was back in Terra Nova and barely alive.

"Of course, make good training for Shannon. I'll bring you some dinner and check in with you later ok" Alicia said she knew Taylor would stay at Lucas's side to his son back to health or support him through his final passing. She wanted to stay with him and support him but he gave her orders and she had to follow them.

"Thank you Wash" Taylor said as they locked eyes for a moment. She nodded as she read all the emotions he was feeling clearly in his eyes. He released her arm and Alicia looked to Jim motioning that they should leave.

Taylor moved to Kate who was currently getting her pain meds refilled. "Kate" he said, Kate turned to him and gave a closed smile.

"Yes" she said.

"Thank you"

"I didn't do much" she told him, he looked at her and shook his head as he saw the dark circles under her eyes and the pain she was trying to hide. She saw the question in his eyes but before he could say a word she spoke first. "You should go be with your son" Kate said to him with a soft smile.

"You going to be alright?" he asked her.

"Survived this far" Kate joked before she thanked the nurse for her refill of pain meds. She pocketed the container and looked to Taylor. "You want me to sit with you?" Kate asked. He shook his head to which she looked relieved for, he couldn't blame her. She had a bad history with Lucas, one she never spoke about with anyone. But he had heard enough stories and he had seen the scars his son left on her.

"No, I'll be fine. You should go home and rest" he told her. Kate nodded and left the infirmary as Taylor pulled up a chair by Lucas's bedside and sat making himself comfortable as he knew he would be there for the long haul.

* * *

TBC~See you all in a week :-)


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: Big thank you to metube for her help and inspiration with this chapter! I just got into the zone and here it is! :-).. My Taylor is OCish but its for a good reason.. Also big thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter! It does make me giggle and smile when Character names are used for anonymous reviews..makes me wonder who will be next? and what will they say? I hope they don't flame me lol.. Enjoy!_

* * *

"How is he?" Alicia asked late night in the infirmary 3 days later.

"Better but he hasn't woken up yet" Taylor said as Alicia pulled a chair next to him at Lucas's bedside. Taylor had not left Lucas's side in those three days except to have a shower and use the bathroom. Alicia was worried for not only Taylor but where all of this was leading with Lucas and how it was going to affect them and what it meant for their children.

She wasn't the only one with questions as Alicia and Jim had been fielding questions from angry and scared colonists for those three days about Lucas's return and why were they giving Lucas medical treatment. Alicia knew that the colonist held no qualms in bringing Lucas back dead but now that he was here and very much alive it changed everything. So they decided it was better to hold a town meeting in two days. It would give Taylor time to prepare a speech and answers for questions that would arise.

"Commander, what are we doing here?" Alicia asked, she had taken control of the colony day to day with Jim who was slipping into his new role with complete ease that made Alicia's life a lot easier especially with the return of Lucas.

"What do you mean?" Taylor asked he did not miss her using his formal title as she always did when she came to sit with him. He had thought it was that they were in the infirmary but now he was thinking it was something else.

"If he wakes up, what are you going to do with him?" Alicia asked.

"We put him in the brig so as to keep him out of trouble. Help him recover, give him a chance to atone for what he has done. He start his rehabilitation with helping Malcolm understand the calculations to re-open the portal if it's possible" Taylor said he was solely focused on wanting to see what was left of Lucas that he hadn't given the future much thought. He just kept looking at Lucas thinking about Ayani and how he owed her to memory to not give up.

Alicia pursed her lips as she didn't like the way he said 'we' as she personally wanted Lucas to be 6 feet under. He was dangerous, a threat to her and her children. She still remembered being put on display like a trophy and what he did to Kate, she remembered that night he pointed the gun at her head counting down. He was too far gone for redemption but she knew Taylor wouldn't listen to her as he was looking at Lucas like he was seeing the young boy who took after his late wife. Not the monster people were concerned about having in the colony.

"We?" Alicia asked wondering who was included in the 'we'.

"Yes, he's family. We have to give him the chance to redeem himself" Taylor said to her.

"You want to give him a chance that's fine but you need to explain that to the Colony. There are a lot of freaked out people there" Alicia told him. He did know, Alicia had kept him updated on what was happening outside the infirmary.

"We are having a town meeting I'll explain it to them. He's not getting a free pass" Taylor said firmly.

"Hey I'm just warning you that saving him wasn't a popular decision to begin with-"

"Neither was having the Sixers return to the Colony or Keeping Kate in the Colony"

"That's completely different and you know it. I'm just saying don't expect us all to welcome the idea of keeping Lucas alive or in the colony" she warned him, he narrowed his eyes at her assessing her for a moment.

"Are you one of them?" He asked her. She tried not to take the accusation personally as Taylor was running on little sleep.

"I support you but don't ask me to forgive him. I saw firsthand the results of the atrocities he committed during the Occupation. What he did was unforgivable-"

"So you'd abandon him if he were your child?" Taylor asked her.

"Nathaniel I'm not having this conversation with you" Alicia told him.

"No I want to know. Would you give up on our children if they made the same mistakes as Lucas?" Taylor asked.

"I-"

"Dad?" Lucas murmured, Alicia stood up and backed away from the bed while Taylor stepped forward and grabbed Lucas's upper arm. Taylor leaned over Lucas whose eyes fluttered open as he murmured 'Dad' again.

"I'm here Lucas" Taylor said to him. Alicia stepped outside of the curtained room and called the night staff.

* * *

"Lucas woke up last night, Doc Shannon says he's going to pull through" Alicia told Kate over breakfast the next morning. Alicia had stayed last night to watch as Lucas stirred only to fall asleep again. She asked if Taylor was coming home but he decided to remain. Kate paled at the news and dropped her spoon back into bowl.

"I lost my appetite" Kate murmured as she pushed her bowl of half eaten porridge away from her with a shaky hand. Alicia didn't blame her even she was having problems stomaching her food but it wasn't pregnancy related today.

"You should know Taylor wants to rehabilitate Lucas" Alicia informed her.

"Nothing short of a bullet to the head will help Lucas. The guy is psychotic and I read Escher's profile if anything Lucas will have just learned more tricks than be a changed man." Kate said Alicia appreciated Kate not saying Ellyas's name. When she said Escher it made it easier for Alicia pretend it wasn't her fault. She also agreed with Kate.

"We'll have to see what happens" Alicia said.

"You'll have to see. I'm not going anywhere near Lucas" Kate told her adamantly.

"So how are things with Malcolm?" Alicia asked changing topics.

"Still a colossal mess thanks to Dr Haynes" Kate said with a wry smile.

"What has she done now?"

"She fell into hysterics about her spiders being eaten and Malcolm had to reinstate her to stop her from becoming completely hysterical and now she just 'needs' him to help rebuild her life's research. So of course he's helping her and every time I try to talk to him she's there or just appears." Kate said rolling her eyes. Alicia nodded as she had been given request forms from Malcolm to go OTG and wondered if Kate knew that he was going to go OTG with Dr Haynes to collect more specimens. Alicia hadn't approved the request and now knew it was time to abuse her power.

"He'll make time for you. He has in the past, just gotta let the whirlwind that is Dr Haynes settle down. It was 6 months of study that has to be started over again" Alicia offered.

"It felt really good knowing it was Dr Haynes's research that the Monkey gobbled." Kate said with a satisfied smile.

* * *

"Have you asked Commander Taylor about my request?" Malcolm asked as he walked into the Command Centre. Alicia and Jim looked up from their Plexs at the Conference table. Neither of them game to take Taylor's chair.

"The request to go OTG?" Jim asked slipping into his role as Second in Command role immediately. He did like the tiny power rush that he got from being able to control Malcolm's coming and goings from the colony. He knew it would eventually get old but for right now it fun to watch Malcolm get huffy with him.

"Yes" Malcolm prompted rather impatiently.

"No, he's been busy but his orders stand no one goes OTG until further notice." Jim told him.

"Can't you persuade him otherwise? I know he's with Lucas in the Infirmary but at some point he has to return to his duties as Commander of the Colony" Malcolm said. He was in the group of Colonists who'd rather Lucas had been found dead.

"I could talk with him later but only after you do a favour for me first" Jim said as he looked to Alicia who gave a nod in agreement to their plan.

"What?" Malcolm asked.

"Spare an hour or two today and sort out whatever is going between you and Kate" Jim said with a meddling smile.

"That completely unprofessional request" Malcolm said.

"Yeah it is but since we have all to work with both of you and we suffer through your teenage dramas-"

"Teenage dramas?" Malcolm scoffed cutting Jim off. He was not having teenage dramas he was genuinely busy running a department and up to his ears in projects and dealing with Dr Haynes.

"Yeah, be a grown up Malcolm. If you want to be with her and have her babies then sort it out and be with her. Otherwise stop stringing her along it's not fair on her and she needs someone who will take her as is and support her. If you can't do that then step out of the way so Carter can have a chance" Jim said.

"Carter?" Malcolm said in disbelief.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see that courtship" Jim said with amusement to Alicia who nodded in agreement.

"We should probably reserve a bed and supplies in the infirmary just for him in advance." Alicia commented as she picked up a plex and tapped the screen pretending to make the memo.

"Yeah that's going to be a volatile relationship" Jim said.

"He and Kate are not in a relationship" Malcolm said firmly.

"Of course they aren't. Did I say they were dating?" Jim asked Alicia.

"No, you said once Malcolm mans up and breaks Kate's heart then Carter can pick up the pieces" Alicia said being incredibly cut throat about it. They were just pushing Malcolm into action.

"I'm not dumping her! I love her and I was going to propose on our six month anniversary until everything went bloody sideways." Malcolm told them. Alicia and Jim were stunned at his confession as they had expected the man to through his hands up at their juvenile antics and storm out of the room. It's not like he hadn't done it before. Malcolm too was stunned he had admitted what he had to Alicia and Jim. He had to get out of there.

"I'm going to go now. I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone what I just told you" Malcolm said before he left the room.

* * *

"What's going to happen to me?" Lucas asked after Taylor pulled a seat up by his bedside. Taylor had stepped aside to talk with Elisabeth who had given the good news that Lucas would survive. He didn't miss the strong neutrality in the Doctor's tone and deportation. Elisabeth was usually a lot warmer in her regard to other patients apparently she didn't feel it for Lucas but her Oath as a Doctor meant she treated Lucas without bias.

"You'll remain here until you have physically recovered and then you'll be put in the brig" Taylor told him.

"I deserve as much" Lucas said looking up at the ceiling. He had opened his eyes to find himself in the infirmary his one hand restrained to the bed. He had been cleaned and his stripped of his clothes and bandages had been redressed. Anger curled in him as he didn't want any of this.

"We need to talk about what happened between when you left an-"

"I survived isn't that enough or would you like to know how I suffered? Would it help my case?" Lucas asked him scathingly as he hated his father for doing this to him.

"I wish you had left me to rot in that cave." Lucas had told him.

"Don't say that-" Taylor started.

"Please Father don't pretend to understand me. The only person who possibly could was murdered 11 years ago" Lucas told him, referring to his mother knowing it would hurt Taylor. He watched as Taylor's hand made a tight fist and Lucas felt satisfaction at know he could still hurt his father even in his weakened state. His father was forever fixing people or at least trying to.

"I can't … no I don't want to live with the memories of my time with that man. I also don't want to rot in the brig for the rest of my life either" Lucas said as he looked at the nub where his hand used to be. It made him angry and sick to his stomach looking at it. He looked over at Taylor and silently cursed the pitying look Taylor gave him. He had that look like he was going to try and help Lucas.

"In time-"

"Don't try to fix me. I'm not like your precious Lt Washington or Kate or Skye. I don't want to helped, I don't want to fixed! So don't patronise me or treat me with kindness I don't want any of it. Why did you save me?" Lucas demanded. He just wanted to die, what was the use in having an enemy if they didn't kill you.

"You're my son" Taylor said as if it was reason enough.

"I betrayed you old man! I nearly destroyed your precious colony, I tried to kill you! What will take for you to realise I am not your son! I'm your prisoner! Your enemy! So either put me out of my misery or leave me the hell alone!" Lucas shouted at him, he slumped back onto the bed and looked away, his mouth set in a firm line. Taylor remained in his seat and looked at the tortured man in the bed.

"I will give you some time alone to think. Be wise Lucas, I'm offering you a chance to change. Don't do it for me or yourself. Do it for your mother as you owe her to become the man she wanted to be. She sacrificed her life so you could have a chance at life. To grow up, have a happy fulfilling life not end up like this. So you owe her to change for the better to live the way she wanted you to." Taylor told him before he got up from chair and left Lucas to his thoughts.

* * *

"Commander" Baz said in surprise as he hadn't seen Taylor at his residence for the past three days.

"I thought this was going to be next week" Taylor said as he looked at the workers milling around his house and the nearly constructed extension.

"We were bored, anyway another day and you'll have your house back all to yourself and the ladies. How do you like the windows?" Baz asked as he gestured to the new windows that had been installed that morning.

"Looks good" Taylor said.

"Definite improvement from plywood" Baz said in amusement.

"I agree but they aren't from storage" Taylor said as the glass didn't look like standard Terra Nova Kit housing glass.

"Nah Daniel Maitland has been working round the clock making windows and other glass related things. Never seen a man so happy at work but he's running out of materials. Reckon I can send him OTG?" Baz asked making conversation about a Sixer who was their chief glass maker. Taylor wished that he could have the place to himself but it looked like he was out of luck.

"Have you filled out a request form?" Taylor asked.

"I'll get Kate on it" Baz said with a smile. Taylor shook his head "What? She's on light duties paperwork is light" Baz told him. Taylor chuckled at the man.

"I'll leave you to it" Taylor said.

* * *

Alicia looked up from her plex to see Taylor standing at the doorway watching her. He closed the doors to the Command Centre and walked over to her. Before she could ask if he was ok he pulled her to her feet and wrapped her up in his arms tightly and buried his face in her neck. Alicia wrapped her arms around his waist and held onto him unsure of herself, the Command Centre was a PDA no go zone and yet here they were hugging intimately. She wondered what happened with Lucas as it was the first time Taylor had left the infirmary in three days.

After a long moment passed Taylor took a deep breath and lifted his head. He caressed his knuckles down the side of her face as their eyes locked. She waiting for him to speak first so he could tell her what made him break one of their rules.

"I love you" he told her in a low voice. He pulled her back into a tight embrace again and she closed her eyes as she moved her arms up and around his neck as he pulled her as close as he possibly could to her.

"I feel at a loss" he told her in a low whisper. "I want to help him but I can't if he won't let me." he told her, Alicia remained silent as she could not find an appropriate response to what he was saying. "Where did I go wrong? How did I screw him up so badly?" he asked.

Alicia felt tears sting her eyes as this was not the first time Taylor had asked that question. It hurt to hear such a strong man show such vulnerability in this respect. But Lucas was always a sore spot for Taylor. One Alicia knew to be respectful of and to step around carefully.

"Nathaniel. You did nothing wrong. You were the best father you could be to him, he didn't want for anything, he had the best education available, and you were there for him when he needed you most. It's more than what most kids get in 2149." She said in a low voice to him. She speared her fingers through his hair and lifted his head up so as to look him in the eyes.

"He was lucky to have you as a father, just as our children will be lucky have you. I will keep telling you this over and over until it finally sinks in" She told him.

* * *

"Hey, I got you a delicious cupcake and a gallusaur sandwich. Eat one or both" Carter told her as he held a cupcake and a sandwich out to her. Kate eyed the vanilla cupcake with two strawberries on top suspiciously for a moment before taking it. She had no interest in the sandwich at least not yet.

"Promise it's not poisoned" Carter said plucked a strawberry off the top and ate it to prove his point that it was safe to consume.

"Why did you buy me a cupcake?"Kate asked as she scooped up some icing off the cupcake and licked it off her finger. They were sitting on two chairs they had pilfered a week ago so they could eat on the site looking at Kate's house. Carter and Kate found they both preferred to be in quieter less crowded surroundings. It was one of the few things they had in common.

"I also have a treat for the monkey" Carter said as he pulled a Petri dish with a spider from his bag, Kate winced as she really hated spiders. Carter set the dish on the ground and opened the dish with the live spider. It took only seconds for the primate on Kate's arm to jumped to the ground and snatched the spider.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Kate asked him as he unwrapped the sandwich he had offered her earlier.

"Because I heard your boyfriend is trying to go OTG with Dr Haynes. Dr Haynes is also trying to track you down" Carter told her before he took a bite of the sandwich.

"How do you come by this information?" Kate asked him.

"I was dropping off supplies to the lab for Baz" Carter said with a shrug.

"Is that where you procured the monkey snack?" Kate asked as she watched the primate rip the spider into more bite size pieces before stuffing it into his greedy little mouth.

"I'm sure it won't be missed. Damn he is really getting into that spider. Don't you feed him?" Carter asked with a chuckle.

"Of course I do, He's just a growing monkey" Kate informed him as she continued to eat the icing on the cupcake. "What does Dr Haynes want with me now?" Kate asked.

"Don't know, she gave me the stink eye when I didn't know where you were" Carter told her.

"Could this week get any worse" Kate murmured before she licked more icing off her finger.

"Oh so you heard Lucas alive and talking this morning as well?" Carter asked innocently. Kate paled at his words as she preferred to not think about Lucas on top of all the other drama. He placed a hand on her shoulder "You should have smothered him before you got back to the colony called it an accidental death" he told her. Kate looked at him incredulously for which he smiled and gave a half shrug. He felt no shame or quams about what he said.

"Kate?" Malcolm said from behind them. Kate and Carter turned their heads and looked over at Malcolm.

"Could we go for a walk?" He asked Kate, completely ignoring Carter's presence.

"Uh oh someone's in trouble" Carter murmured to Kate with an amused tone. Kate rolled her eyes at him before she pushed on his shoulder to stand up. She walked over to Malcolm.

"That looks like a nutritious lunch" Malcolm commented as he gestured to the cupcake missing half its icing.

"You want the other strawberry?" Kate asked Malcolm shook his head. Kate plucked it out of the frosting and ate it while they moved away from the construction site and people who could overhear them. She had to eat the strawberry before she said something stupid.

"So" Malcolm started, for a man who was normally quite eloquent he was having trouble finding the words to talk to her. "I- oh bugger it" He said and before Kate could react he grabbed the sides of her face and crashed his lips with hers in a deep and hungry kiss. He slowly ran one of his hands down her body to her wait to draw her into his body as she melted into him and the kiss.

"I missed you" he told her when he broke the kiss. They were both slightly breathless from the exchange. "and I know I've been awful to you and I'm sorr-why you're still holding onto the cupcake?" Malcolm asked as he noticed Kate was still holding the cupcake in her hand out from their bodies.

"I don't like to litter, you were saying?" Kate asked him as he had been on a good roll with the kiss and saying how awful he had been. Not that she needed him to grovel. She just needed him to say he wanted her back so they could get to making up and getting naked part. Preferably behind closed doors, she had missed the intimacy of their time together. The intimacy of just being held.

"I love you and I miss you. I want us to go back to-"

"We can't go back" Kate said, she didn't want for them to end up in the same place again if she decided to become a Deputy.

"Ok move forward. I just want to be with you" Malcolm told her as he held her close and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Jim asked me to be his Deputy" Kate told him.

"Ok" he said letting her go, she stumbled back slightly as she hadn't anticipated him letting her go so quickly. "And you said?" he asked folding his arms.

"I said I'd think about it" Kate told him suddenly feeling cold from his change in demeanour toward her.

"You'd think about it" he said clearly he was unimpressed.

"Yeah is this going to be a problem?" Kate asked him.

_"Dr Wallace, come in"_ Dr Haynes's syrupy voice said over his comm. unit. Kate looked to Malcolm.

"No, if you want to be a deputy than be a deputy" he told her, he made it sound like it was a hardship on his behalf. Like he was the one being wrought in the deal. Kate winced as it was not the response she wanted nor did she want to have this discussion with Dr Haynes calling him nonstop.

"Maybe you should answer her call" Kate told him.

"I'd rather not, I am going to spend two weeks OTG with the woman"

"Really" Kate said it was her turn to fold her arms.

"Yes because her arachnid research has to be start from scratch. The work will go faster if it's two of us. Are you jealous?" he asked her.

"No, I'm just unsure of where we stand right now and I hate her. So either answer the call or turn off your comm. and talk to me" Kate told him. Malcolm pulled his comm. unit from his pocket and made a show of turning it off.

"Ok, I don't like the idea of you carrying a gun or painting a target on your back. I just want to know you'll be safe" Malcolm told her.

"I'm safer being a deputy than working on a construction site. And if I'm honest I'd like to be able to carry a gun with me everywhere. So you can either accept that my undesirable qualities and take me as I am or let me go." Kate told him. She hated making ultimatums they always backfired but she hated being how they were now.

"Ok" he told her. Kate wasn't sure what he was agreeing to. "I'll give you an answer by the end of the day but for now I have to go as Dr Haynes has tracked me down" he told her. Kate turned around to see the blonde running up to them. Kate tried not to laugh as the woman ran like Captain Jack Sparrow. There was nothing sexy about it at all and it was completely unnecessary as they were only a 15 minute walk from the research labs.

"Dr Wallace! I have been trying to contact you" Dr Haynes said out of breath. She bent forward catching her breath for a moment.

"Battery went flat" he said.

"I just finished cataloguing the arachnid specimens I'm missing 16 species and Mira came by to ask you something about the Terminus. She was quite rude. Some would have expected her to be appreciative in her circumstances. Oh Kate I didn't notice you. I need to talk with you" Haynes said with a plastic smile as she had regained her composure. Kate wondered why the woman had ran to begin with all the news she had wasn't an emergency.

"Make it quick. Carter and I have to get back to work" Kate said pretending to be impatient as she broke her cupcake in half and took a bite. Truth was she and Carter had an hour and only ten minutes into that hour.

"Work" Haynes said with a smile "Right, it's about that bath tub that's been sitting there for the past week and half"

"Seriously? You want to talk to me about a bath tub. I'm going back to work now" Kate said.

"Wait, I want the bath tub and I don't think someone of your let's say station doesn't need it" Haynes said, Kate tried to stop her jaw from dropping at the unveiled insult.

"I may not need one but it's mine" Kate told her.

"I'm sure we could come to some sort of arrangement where I could compensate you" Haynes said touching her arm. Kate took a deep breath as she tried to remain calm.

"Ok if you can win it off me. So if you win you get the tub. I'll even have it installed for free but if I win you stop with requisition forms and the pestering. Actually let's say you can't come within 3 ft of me" Kate told her.

"You are incredibly juvenile"

"I'll try and not let your compliment go to my head"

"What exactly do I have to do to win?" Haynes asked.

"We'll play a game. Trust me it'll be fun!" Kate told her.

* * *

"It's called International Cover up, 6 drinks in all… usually it's 3 pints of beer and 3 shots of whisky but hey you work with what you got. So we have 3 pints of Cider and 3 shots of that fruit liquor. Whoever finishes first wins" Kate explained to Dr Haynes who sat opposite her at a table in Boylan's bar. Kate gestured to the 3 pint glasses lined in front her and then to the shot glasses in front of Dr Haynes as she explained the game.

Kate looked around to the group they had garnered for this 'game' in Boylan's bar. It was mostly off duty soldiers and a couple of sixers. Malcolm had been called away to talk about the Terminus repairs with Mira. "Everyone got this?" she asked them all seeing them nod she gave the thumbs up.

"Seems simple enough" Haynes commented. Kate had to remind herself that these people didn't watch TV the only reason why she could get away with this. Shame it was only a one time deal. Once she played this trick on Haynes it could never be repeated. She really missed her TV watching days as she would love to rewatch 'Life on Mars' the US version she liked Harvey Kietel's character.

"Because it's your first time playing this game I'm going to let you take the shots." Kate told Haynes.

"I only have to finish 3 shots before you finish 3 glasses of Ciders? You must be joking? It can't be that easy" Haynes told her.

"I'm a simple person" Kate told Haynes with a plain shrug. Behind Haynes stood Carter who was trying to contain his mirth at her statement.

"Ok let's do this" Haynes said as she went to reach for her first shot glass.

"Wait I forgot to mention one rule. You can't touch the other person's glasses. At all. Agreed?" Kate asked.

"Agreed" Haynes said who looked happy as she was under the illusion she was actually going to win this. Kate looked at the 3 large glasses of Cider and made her eyes go wide.

"Phew, I got a lot to drink. You mind if I also have a bit of a head start?" Kate asked Haynes before the woman touched her first shot glass. Haynes looked at the Cider and Kate before giving a kind smile.

"Sure, since I am a kind person as well" Haynes said sitting back in her chair.

"Cheers" Kate said as she raised her glass and took a long pull. "Oh this is a good batch Boylan" Kate said between two pulls of her drink draining the pint glass to the three quarter point.

"I'm trying a new brewing technique" Boylan told her as he couldn't see why she would be so calm considering she had over a litre of Cider to consume.

"Really? Its working" Kate said impressed. She took another long pull. "You can start now" Kate said to Haynes. The blonde threw back her first two shots as Kate drained her first Cider. Before Haynes could reach for her third, Kate turned her pint glass over and slammed it over the top of the shot glass.

"Uh uh, we agreed. You can't touch my glass" Kate said as Haynes reached for her shot only to stop as Kate's glass covered Haynes's shot glass. "That's why it's called international cover up" Kate slurred with a wide grin on her face. Those around them including Kate laughed and a few applauded as it was completely unexpected and there was Dr Haynes being brought down a notch.

"That! ... You cheated" Haynes accused her angrily as she stood up so she could look down at Kate.

"I didn't cheat and I have witnesses to attest to that" Kate told her as she reached for her second glass and started to drink it as she sat back in her chair with a smug smile on her face. The alcohol was going straight to her head.

"You knew I'd lose" Haynes hissed low and angry voice.

"I told you the game, you agreed to the terms and played. Don't be a sore loser because you couldn't outsmart me Dr Haynes. It's very unbecoming of someone of your station" Kate told her with a wink. Dr Haynes shot daggers at her with her eyes before she got up from the table and left the bar red faced and embarrassed.

"You going to finish that?" Reilly asked as she pointed to the third glass of cider on the table. Kate shook her head and pushed it in Reilly's direction as the woman sat down.

"All yours" Kate said she felt drunk from one glass of cider and didn't want to push her luck. But then she was running on a few spoonfuls of porridge and a cupcake. She placed her half finished glass on the table and gave a relaxed sigh as it felt good to outsmart Haynes. All her TV watching was useful for something. Reilly sat down at the table as did Carter now that the crowd had dispersed.

"Baz is going to ticked off that he didn't get to watch that" Carter said as he picked up Kate's half finished pint and took a long pull of it. Kate didn't care as she was done with the drink.

"Oh I'm sure Haynes will let the whole colony know I scammed her" Kate said.

"Where did you learn that trick?" Carter asked.

"Life on Mars" Kate told him. He frowned as he didn't understand.

* * *

Late that afternoon, Alicia walked up to the half way constructed house to see Kate lying in the bath tub out the front asleep. _So Carter wasn't lying about her sleeping on the job_ Alicia mused as she crouch down beside the tub and watched Kate sleep, she looked so peaceful it was almost a shame to have to wake her.

"Kate" Alicia said as she gently shook Kate's shoulder to rouse her from her sleep.

"Mm Alicia" Kate said as she rubbed her face. "What's up?"

"I need a favour" Alicia said.

"Name it"

"I'm late for my check up with Dr Shannon. Taylor was supposed to meet with me at the Command Centre so we could go together but he's with Lucas-" Alicia started.

"You want me to come with you" Kate finished. Alicia nodded, she beginning to dislike being second fiddle to Lucas but when Dr Shannon called her saying she was ten minutes late for her appointment. Alicia realised that Taylor had forgotten to come meet her at the command centre so they could go together.

She knew he was with Lucas and she couldn't just pry him away from Lucas for a check up and ultrasound. At least not without Lucas finding out she was pregnant. That was the last thing she wanted, so she pushed the appointment back 30 minutes and came to find Kate to use her as a smokescreen and to have company. She tried not to be upset as she was just as guilty as he was. As she too had forgotten herself as she was caught up in paperwork. But she still hated the common theme of the last three days of Lucas being his main concern. She hoped this wasn't going to become a regular habit with Taylor.

"You ok?" Alicia asked Kate as the Redhead was clutching her forehead and swayed a little haphazardly before Alicia grabbed her by the arm and helped her out of the tub and onto solid ground.

"You didn't hear?" Kate asked surprised that it was news as she got her bearings. The redhead was looking slightly dazed as she looked to Alicia.

"Hear what?" Alicia asked.

"Oh I had a cider at lunch with Dr Haynes. I won my bath and some peace back into my life. I had a half a sandwich and more drugs it wasn't such a great idea as I feel a little stupid right now" Kate said.

"You not supposed to mix booze and drugs" Alicia chastised her.

"Oh but it was worth it! Hey you know this is perfect timing as I need to go get a scan of my ribs" Kate told Alicia. Alicia chuckled as Kate was being a little loopier than normal.

"That you can and if you're not doing anything after you can help me pick out a colour for the nursery" Alicia said with a hopeful smile as she wanted to paint the nursery and she felt Taylor would be tied up trying to 'save' his son. Alicia appreciated that Kate didn't make any fuss about Taylor instead looking happy to step in.

"Yes, sounds like a plan but I do need to eat I'm starving" Kate said with genuine enthusiasm as she linked arms with Alicia.

"Ok, now shouldn't you tell them you're leaving?" Alicia asked gesturing to the crew working on Kate's house.

"Nah they won't notice me gone for a couple of hours" Kate said as she waved a dismissive hand. "So what are you thinking on colours?" Kate asked making conversation.

"Blue, but a dark ocean blue" Alicia told her.

"Oh I like that" Kate said as they walked in the direction of the Infirmary.

* * *

_TBC~ See you all for the next update next week! I welcome advice, suggestions etc. :-)_


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: Huge thank yous to metube for her help! Lol also thank yous to Malcolm Wallace.. hehe nice choice! as to who may review next I'll just let it be a surprise!. Also big thanks to those who have favourited moi, the story and story alerted etc! Now onward to the the chapter.. Enjoy!_

* * *

"Kate" Elisabeth said in surprise as she looked between Alicia and Kate. She hadn't expected to see the redhead darken the infirmary for at least another 24 hours.

"I'm here for that scan" Kate told her with a smile. The smile dropped quickly when Kate saw Lucas sitting up in bed with Taylor in a seat by his bed. The curtains around his bed were open, he stopped talking with Taylor and locked eyes with her.

"He looks well" Kate stated in a vague tone as cold wave of fear wash over her. Her heart pounded in panic as her mind decided to take a trip down memory lane. She remembered the last time they had seen one another and their 'quality' time. Alicia and Elisabeth noticed Kate's change in demeanour immediately and acted quickly.

"Why don't we all go this way" Elisabeth said as she and Alicia pulled Kate to the bio-bed furthest from Lucas's and closed the curtains around the bed. Kate bent over at the hips and started sucking in her breath in quick short bursts as tears stung her eyes.

"Kate just take slow and easy breaths" Elisabeth told her.

"Sorry, I'm ok" Kate told them as she straightened up, trying to regain her composure. Alicia rubbed her arm in comfort knowing how Kate felt as she too felt the same panic and fear just not as profoundly as Kate did. The woman was visibly shaking. "So you want me to go first?" Kate asked in a low voice.

"I think we should do Alicia first that way when I open the curtain you can be on the bed getting up" Elisabeth replied. Alicia laid down on the bed and Elisabeth activated the Bio-bed. "Now I won't have the heads up display on for you but I will make a copy of the results and we will discuss the results in more detail in my office afterwards" Elisabeth told Alicia.

Alicia nodded gratefully as she did not want anyone well Lucas mainly finding out she was pregnant. She hated the cloak and dagger feel to just having a check up. She just wanted people to know now so they could get over the shock and then get over it and get on with their lives while she enjoyed herself. But it wasn't going to happen until she showing and then she would have to avoid Lucas like the plague which made her realise she and Taylor would have to talk.

Elisabeth smiled as she watched the results appear on her plex that was connected the Bio-bed. "Everything thing is looking good, your blood pressure is a little high but nothing to be concerned about. We'll monitor it and you know you and Taylor are welcome to come back in to hear the heartbeats together for the first time. I'll just sedate Lucas" Elisabeth said, Alicia couldn't stop the tears falling down the sides of her face as Taylor was sitting in the same room and missing this. It also made her hate Lucas as his presence was becoming a dark cloud in her life. She could have been lying back looking a 3D representation of her babies and possibly hearing their heartbeats right now.

"You ok there?" Kate asked as she squeezed Alicia's hand and gave her a warm and supportive smile. Alicia nodded and cleared her throat.

"Just stupid hormones" Alicia lied she loved Kate like a sister but wanted Taylor to be here instead of her. Kate knelt down beside the bed with her face near Alicia's.

"I read that morning sickness was indicative of what the sex of the baby is. Considering how much you've been chundering I'd put my money down for you having boys but I'm notoriously bad at this game so it's probably girls. Kate is a really good name for a girl" Kate said in a low and excited voice. Alicia laughed and felt better for it.

"So you keep telling me" Alicia told her with a smile.

"Well I'm hoping 2149 drugs make you loopy and when Elisabeth asks what you want as the name for the ankle biters. You'll just say 'Kate' automatically.. Oh imagine if you have redheaded twins then I'd have a little mini me's that you'd have to chase around the colony. I was a mischievous child" Kate said in a low and contemplative tone before giving Alicia a wide smile.

"So what's changed?" Alicia quipped rolling her eyes.

* * *

5 minutes ago from Taylor and Lucas's view...

"What is wrong with Kate?" Lucas asked Taylor as he had seen Kate come in looking pale and worn out. She had stared at him for just a moment before Alicia and Elisabeth pulled her in the opposite direction to a Bio-bed and closed the curtains blocking his view of her. He wished she was closer so he could read her eyes more clearly and gage her facial expressions.

"She was injured over a week ago, she probably in for a check up" Taylor said dismissively as he remembered that he and Alicia were supposed to go together for their appointment. He read that at 6 weeks a heartbeat could be detected. He had completely forgotten about their appointment and now he couldn't excuse himself from Lucas's presence and go over there without raising eyebrows and tongues wagging in gossip as he knew Alicia was using Kate as her smokescreen for the appointment.

"She'll be ok right?" Lucas asked with concern.

"Of course, why the concern son?" Taylor asked.

"That's between me and her" Lucas told him firmly. Taylor narrowed his eyes at Lucas.

"Explain it to me, I have time" Taylor told him. He also made a mental note to be home for dinner so he could beg forgiveness at Alicia's feet for missing the appointment and talk with Kate.

* * *

"I don't like him being alive and healthy. I know that makes me a horrible person and quite possibly the biggest hypocrite but I don't care" Kate said as she and Alicia were walking back to Taylor's house carrying bags of shopping.

"I know how you feel but this one is out of our hands" Alicia told her.

"Taylor should not be making any decisions in regards to Lucas. He can't be objective-"

"And you can be?" Alicia asked Kate cutting her off as she had the same thoughts as Kate did. Taylor was crippled with his emotions and failure with Lucas.

"No, which is why I'm going to remain a neutral party in this. If I could remove myself from the equation entirely I would" Kate said as they reached the front porch of Taylor's place.

"Hey looks like someone got an answer" Alicia commented as there was a bottle of red wine at the front door. Kate put down the two bags she was carrying and picked up the bottle of wine to read the tag that had been tied to its neck. It was a bottle of Zephyr's Kiss 2134. Kate smiled as Alicia gave out a low whistle beside her.

"He must really love you" Alicia commented as Kate turned over the tag and read it. Malcolm had written a polite invitation to dine with him the next evening, she liked that he wasn't a love letter, poem writing guy.

"Nah it is just puppy love" Kate quipped as Alicia opened the front door. Kate kicked off her shoes at the door and went to her to put the bottle away for safe keeping before she returned to the kitchen to help Alicia unpack the shopping and start with dinner.

* * *

"Hey you think Taylor will be joining us for dinner?" Kate asked half an hour later as Alicia was grilling fish and getting together the last bits and pieces for dinner.

"I don't know, why?"

"Wondering how many places I should set" Kate answered as she was placing condiments on the table.

"I'd set for three just in case" Alicia said, she knew he wouldn't be home but she didn't give up the hope. Kate nodded and within minutes the table was set and Kate helped her cut up the vegetables for dinner.

"Are you excited for next week?" Kate asked referring to the news that Alicia would be able to hear the babies' heartbeat. Alicia smiled.

"Yes, I just hope-" She was cut off when the front door opened and the two women looked to see Taylor at the door.

"You know if you're good here. I think I should go wash my hands and face before dinner" Kate commented as she felt like the two needed some privacy to talk. She made a quick exit from the room. Alicia put down her knife and looked to Taylor.

"I didn't expect you home tonight" Alicia said, Taylor looked to the dining table that said differently.

"I'm sorry I missed our appointment" Taylor said keeping his distance as Alicia had the air of an angry woman. He knew she would shake off any advances he made and he didn't want to be rejected.

"It's fine I mean it wasn't very exciting and I have the results on the Plex" Alicia told him, it was not fine. He was right she was angry and he didn't blame her. "It's the next one you should be at" she told him.

"So we can hear their heartbeats?" He asked, Alicia pursed her lips and nodded.

"Yes, Elisabeth wanted to try today but I didn't want to not without you there by my side" Alicia told him.

"I will be there next time I pro-"

"Don't make a promise you can't keep" Alicia warned him. She gave a sigh and plated up the side dishes and with Taylor's help placed them on the table. "I understand you want to be by Lucas's side. I do, I really do! But don't forget you're the leader to the Colony. You have responsibilities that can't be put on hold" Alicia told him.

"I know" he said and Alicia gave him look that said 'no you don't' "talk to me Wash" he prompted.

"I wanted you to be there with me" She gestured to herself and Taylor "This is us and our future. I hate that I will now have to hide my excitement and pretend that I'm nothing more than an XO to you and possibly disappear for 8 months because Lucas might find out and come after me to get to you" Alicia told him in a frustrated tone.

"He won't-"

"Please your son has been hell bent on vengeance for the past 11 years. Did you think that maybe the reason he wants to die is that he knows he know he can still make you feel the pain of his loss?" Alicia asked cutting him off.

"I think he realises the pain he has caused. He's hasn't entirely come to terms with what he's done but he knows it was wrong. He's coming around. I think once he has something live for. Maybe if we-"

"No, don't you dare use our children as fodder for his 'recovery'. I don't want him to know Nathaniel. It will just give him ammunition and I refuse to let him destroy our happiness. Promise me you won't tell him" Alicia demanded of him.

"Alicia-" he started reluctantly but Alicia moved to him and placed her hands on his chest and looked at him with such vulnerability and fear.

"Please I watched him nearly destroy Kate just to get to you. I don't want to put myself or our children to be in the line of fire. Promise me" Alicia pleaded him.

"I promise" he told her.

Dinner was a quiet affair as Alicia and Taylor were tense. Kate knew why as she had heard every word from the bathroom. The walls were thin and even with the water running and ok Kate had been eavesdropping but she tried to be as noisy as possible.

Kate probably didn't help the atmosphere either as she didn't want Taylor to bring up Lucas as a dinner topic. She kept her head down and ate her food remaining quiet for most parts except for answering a few questions from Taylor about her health and her day at work.

It wasn't until they were sharing a pot of tea that Taylor brought up the conversation that Kate didn't want to have.

"Have you given some thought to speaking with Lucas?" Taylor asked, Kate choked on her tea for a moment before placing her cup on the table.

"Why would I?" Kate asked between coughs as she cleared her throat.

"He wants to talk with you" Taylor remarked as he recalled Lucas talking about Kate. The man didn't go into details he just said he wanted to talk with Kate as she 'understood' him and something about Escher. Taylor had pushed for answers but Lucas had been tight lipped. He knew it was a waste of time asking Kate as she still hadn't written a report or talked about what happened during the occupation with anyone. When Taylor asked she gave a brief overview of what happened but he could have asked anyone and they would've said the same thing she just changed the 'she' to 'I' in the speech.

"Well we don't always get what we want." Kate told him dryly before she took a sip of her tea.

"It might do you some good-" Taylor started only to be cut off.

"I have nothing to say to him and nor do I want to hear what he wants to tell me. So can we please change the topic?" Kate asked him. He saw the pain and anger flash in her eyes, her hands that were shaking before she placed them under the table. He realised he had made a misstep with her. He seemed to be making a lot of missteps lately.

"Ok I will but just think about it. It doesn't have to be something that happens this week or this month" Taylor told her. Kate held her tongue as she felt like saying she'd rather not think about anything in regards to Lucas. She pursed her lips for a moment while looking down at her hands that were shaking. She felt so defective.

"Or ever, it's your decision on what's best for you. Confrontations can be empowering but if you aren't ready then you're not helping yourself in the long run" Alicia told Kate, Taylor shot Alicia a look as she was undermining him but let the feeling slip away from him as Alicia was just protecting Kate.

* * *

"I can't believe you would make such a suggestion to Kate. Talk with Lucas? she had a panic attack in the infirmary from just looking at him" Alicia said angrily to Taylor as they prepared for bed. Kate had already gone to bed after taking a couple of pain pills. The redhead would be dead to the world so Alicia made a note to wake the woman when she got up in the morning.

"I didn't know that but if that's true then she needs to work through it. Confronting Lucas may help her" Taylor said, he had a selfish need to make the two confront one another as he wanted know what his son wanted to say to Kate.

"Or it will send her over the edge. She isn't ready and I doubt she ever will be" Alicia told him, she knew from experience that confronting your enemy after they tortured you for days did not end well if you weren't prepared. She was angry that he hadn't even talked to her about the possibility of Lucas and Kate sitting down for a conversation. It was not a topic to be broached lightly.

"If she told-"

"If she told you what happened during the occupation between her and Lucas then you would not be so suspicious of her. What did Lucas tell you?" Alicia asked him folding her arms as that's how it felt to Alicia sitting at the table watching the two of them.

"I'm not suspicious of her. I'm just trying to understand…wait she told you about what happened?" Taylor asked. Alicia felt her anger sapped away as she knew Taylor didn't like secrets and it irked him Kate would talk to him no matter how hard he pushed.

"Not everything, no but it kills you that she won't talk to you about this one thing doesn't it?" Alicia asked as she folded up her BDU pants and t shirt.

"Alicia it's not like that" Taylor said as it was getting harder concentrate with her standing there clad in only her underwear.

"She won't tell you because she thinks it's insensitive and she doesn't want to be the one who painted your son in a bad light. She also doesn't want to pitied or shut out if you don't like what you hear. She lost her father because he believed her to be a cold and merciless monster-"

"She thinks I will abandon Lucas or I'll shut her out because I won't want to believe her" Taylor said drawing his own conclusions. Alicia walked over to him and stood in front of him and proceeded to help him pull off his t-shirt.

"She loves you like a father and she doesn't want to cause you unnecessary pain. So whatever Lucas told you or tells you in future treat it like it is a double edged sword and keep in mind that Kate has not lied to you or betrayed you where as Lucas has a history of betraying you" Alicia told him as she traced the minor scar he had on his abdomen where Lucas had stabbed him with her fingers to make her point clear.

"Copy that" he said as he grabbed her hand and pressed a gentle kiss on her palm.

"I'm still angry" She told him.

"I know but you shouldn't go to bed angry" he informed her, Alicia gave him a smile and shook her head as she knew exactly what he had in mind to change her mood.

* * *

In the Infirmary,

"I saw Wre-Kate earlier, what happened to her?" Lucas asked to Dr Shannon, the woman bristled at the mention of Kate's name while she continued her check of his vitals and whatever Doctor's did.

"I cannot speak on her health or the events surrounding the cause as it is covered by doctor patient confidentiality. Why do you care?" Elisabeth asked him as she locked eyes with him. Lucas broke contact needed to muster sincerity.

"I know this will be hard for you to swallow Doctor but I am not a bad person. I'm just been angry and in so much pain for years. I don't know any difference until I was on the receiving end of a psychopath. To understand how I've lived my life has been wrong, all of it was wrong. I made her suffer all because it was like she couldn't be hurt and I punished her for being unreachable and completely numb. It made me angry that no matter how much pain I put her through she just took it, she never begged for mercy. Not once. I did such horrific things to her" Lucas stopped and gave a shaky exhale pretending as if he was overcome with grief. He even managed to make his eyes tear up to see if he could garner sympathy. He knew the doctor would tell his father and he would believe he wanted redemption.

His father would visit him, then Lucas would have to draw real deep within him and give the performance of his life literally. Once he was alone with Kate he could push her buttons and she would snap, finally snap and kill him. It would break the trust and make Taylor question Kate's loyalty and blame her for Lucas's demise. Lt Washington would back her best friend and Taylor would be alone. He wouldn't be saved the way His father wanted him to be saved. But at least Lucas would be able to do some damage before he left this world. It was the only path he had left as he had no allies or resources in the Colony to do differently.

"I will be put in the brig for the rest of my natural life. I want to at least ask her forgiveness, explain myself. I saw the way she froze maybe if I just talk with her I can help her. She's just the first of many I have to seek forgiveness from" Lucas told Dr Shannon in a remorseful tone.

He watched her expression as she listened to every word, he tried not to smile as her sympathetic side, the woman was incredibly soft hearted. Even after everything that happened during the occupation she could feel sympathy for him.

"Do you think she'll talk with me? Could you ask her for me?" Lucas asked her with desperate tone, turning his green tear filled eyes at her.

Elisabeth squeezed his shoulder in a gentle comforting motion that made her feel sick to her stomach and angry that he thought his little remorseful act would work on her. She worked in the public system for over 10 years she could see through any deception and lie given to her by a patient. But she kept her disgust and annoyance hidden behind her mask and gave an apprehensive look before nodding.

"Of course, I'll talk with her but I can't make any promises." Elisabeth assured him.

"Thank you" Lucas said with a sigh.

"You're welcome. Now you should get some rest." Elisabeth told him. Lucas nodded looking relieved that she had agreed. He closed his eyes and laid his head back. Elisabeth continued on with her duties remaining as calm as she could. She would tell Jim and Kate before she told Taylor as the Commander had no objectivity when it came to Lucas. She couldn't say she would act differently if their roles were reversed.

* * *

The next morning, Taylor watched Alicia from his position, raised on one elbow, from his torso half leaning over her while his eyes ran over her sleep softened features. She smiled a little, enjoying the gentle stroke of his hand against her belly above the cotton sheet draped over her naked form. He bent down to brush his lips against her cheek and she murmured something unintelligible turning a little in dreamy search for more.

He gave it kissing the tip of her delicate nose, her eyebrow, eye lid and then cheek as she slowly stirred awake.

"Alicia.." he murmured softly.

"Nathaniel" she sighed as she turned fully into him, her arms snaked up his torso and around his neck holding him to her. She arched her body and flexed in growing desire. Taylor smiled a gently smile before he lowered his mouth again, finding her lips slightly parted and softened ready for him. Slowly and sensually, he began drawing her closer to the surface of consciousness while his hands moved on her body arousing her and moving under the top sheet so he could feel her soft skin under his calloused hands.

She came awake just as his hand slid gently between her thighs. She gasped in pleasure. "Good Morning" he said in a teasing tone before she could give him a smart arse response his mouth covered hers again while he began to stroke her, surely and knowingly. Her breathing stalled as the white hot flame of desire began to lick pleasurably through her. She whimpered under his ministrations as she felt a familiar build up only for the screeching sounds of a power saw going through wood to break the magic of the moment.

"Oh my god what's the time?" Alicia moaned as the noise was painful and continued loudly.

"8am" Taylor said as he looked to the clock on the bedside table as he remember that Baz and his construction crew had started for the day as the same screeching noise started again. Alicia shot out of the bed with a panicked look. "Where you going?" Taylor asked her.

"I'm late and I have to wake up Kate" Alicia told him as she quickly pulled on her clothes and brushed her hair back into a pony tail. It was like the past moments of sensuality and pleasure were completely forgotten.

"Call in sick, let Kate sleep I wan-"

"I know what you want but I have a meeting and Kate needs to get to work" Alicia said over the noise she clamoured over the bed to him. "We can pick this up later tonight" she told she quickly kissed him before she left him.

Alicia winced at the construction noise and wondered how Kate put up with the racket. She slid open the door to find Kate fast asleep. She rolled her eyes and remembered the woman would be sleep through anything while she was still taking pain killers.

"Kate" Alicia said shaking the woman awake.

"Mmm half hour more" Kate said rolling over in her sleep. Alicia snorted as she shook Kate again a little more roughly to wake her. This time she was successful as Kate started making more noise and opened her eyes. "Ok I'm up. Do you have to be so violent?" Kate asked her.

"You're late" Alicia told her.

"Late?" Kate asked confused and sleep dazed completely oblivious to the construction sounds.

"For work" Alicia prompted.

"Work?" Kate asked still not computing what Alicia was saying.

"Kate!" Alicia said frustrated. Kate scratched her head with one hand and picked up her comm. unit and saw the messages and the time.

"Oh! I'm late! Crap!" Kate said as she pulled the blankets off her legs and scrambled out of bed if somewhat more sluggishly than Alicia did earlier.

"You're good? You don't need?" Alicia asked.

"I'm good thanks for waking me!" Kate said as she changed into some new clothes. "Umm I'm not going to be home for dinner tonight. Don't forget" Kate told Alicia.

"Are you reminding me or yourself?" Alicia asked as she and Kate went to the front door. Kate slipped her feet into her ballet flats while Alicia pulled on her boots.

* * *

"Elisabeth, I was hoping to catch you. I need these supplies would you mind greatly if I just helped myself" Dr Haynes asked as she handed a plex with the list of supplies she needed.

Lucas who had just woken up watched Dr Haynes the attractive brunette in her mid 30's with 5ft 6 curvy body smiled at Dr Shannon. He couldn't remember what she was good for. He did however remember her being a person who appreciated a high quality of life as her father had donated a large chunk of his fortune to the Phoenix group to get his daughter to Terra Nova. Not that the woman knew that. She believed she had been specifically hand picked because she was 'brilliant' in whatever feild she studied.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that Commander Taylor and Lt Washington have been strict about no one being allowed OTG-" Elisabeth started to explain only to be cut off by a wave of Dr Haynes's hand.

"I heard that drivel from Lt Washington. Just because she keeps his bed warm at night does not mean she can just dictate the colony. I bet you she is already knocked up-" Haynes said proud of herself to connect the dots only for Elisabeth to cut her off, clearly unimpressed.

"Dr Haynes…" Elisabeth said calmly, Lucas had retreated into his thoughts that he didn't hear the rest of the conversation. So Alicia couldn't keep her legs crossed and thought she could replace his Mother, give his father another family. A better family, his father deserved misery, he deserved to suffer. How dare he preach that Lucas should live as his mother wanted him to when his Father couldn't even remain devoted to the memory of his first love, his first wife, the mother of his only son?.

After everything his mother did for his father, dying for him wasn't enough. It made his insides twist with bitter anger. Lucas took a cleansing breath and silenced his thoughts as his previous plan would have to be adapted. The Taylor line would die with him, it was clear the only way to honour his mother and her 'sacrifice' as his father put it. He had to kill the unborn child Alicia carried followed by his father. How he was going to get that to happen. He had no idea but it was the only solution left and if not he'd settle with the original goal of crushing every slice of happiness his father had.

He closed his eyes and took a slow steady breath clearing his mind hoping that he could think of a way of making his goal achievable.

* * *

*The conversation Lucas missed*

"Dr Haynes…" Elisabeth said trying to remain calm. "I can assure you that you are mistaken in your assumptions-"

"What? We all know the Commander is a virile man and Lt Washington is such an industrious-"

"Get out of my infirmary" Elisabeth snapped as she stopped Haynes from finishing her sentence. She didn't want to hear Haynes's thoughts or unfounded accusations that would spread like wildfire. "I will not have you slander Lt Washington's character in my presence. She is a highly respected member of the Military and the Colony whom I consider a close and personal friend. Now you will not be getting your supplies until they are signed off by Lt Washington herself or Commander Taylor. Until then kindly remove yourself from my Infirmary before I have you removed" Elisabeth told Haynes in the most professional and courteous manner she could muster.

Haynes's jaw dropped as she could not believe Elisabeth's gall to speak to her in such a fashion. But she knew better than to wrong the only female doctor in the Colony. She closed her mouth and squared her shoulders pretending that it never happened as she pulled the plex from Elisabeth's hand and left the infirmary. She would just have to come back later when Elisabeth calmed down and realised how rude she had been.

Elisabeth turned to look at Lucas who was still asleep and glad the man hadn't been awake to hear the conversation.

* * *

"You should wear grey it'll bring out the colour of your eyes" Jim said from behind Kate. She turned around and looked at him with amused expression. The market was in full swing as it was lunch time.

"Who knew the Sheriff knew had an eye for colours" Kate quipped as she looked back at the long cotton cardigan in her hands and then decided to get anyway she handed it to the stall owner who bundled up the other clothes she decided on.

"Actually I'm colour blind" he told her as he moved to stand beside her.

"Really?" Kate asked surprised.

"Can't see red or green" Jim told her.

"Christmas must be fun for you" Kate quipped as she handed over the terras for the clothing she was buying. She needed a change from the wide legged pants and men's shirts at least for tonight. The stall owner passed over the small bundle of clothing and walking with Jim.

"Ask Elisabeth about the snazzy lilac suit I wore to my T.O.'s fifth wedding" he told her as they walked away from the markets.

"Lilac?" Kate asked trying not to laugh but smiled in amusement none the less. Jim smiled and nodded proudly.

"Yeah I got a really good price for it. Though I thought it was a blue suit. I wish I had taken a photo of Liz's face when I picked her up. It was classic, in hind sight I wish I kept it. It was a really good suit" he told her with a chuckle.

"So is there a reason you're here other than to entertain me with your fashion faux pas stories?" Kate asked in a teasing fashion.

"Yes, you mind if we go to my house. We need to talk where no one will overhear us" Jim told her.

"Ok, but just for the record I still have a few days before I give you my answer about the deputy position" Kate told him in a low voice. She didn't need that rumour starting when she still had time to decide.

"This is about something else" Jim told her.

* * *

"You look beautiful" Malcolm told her, he opened the door to see Kate on his doorstep that evening. She had her hair out loose around her shoulders as she wore loose off the shoulder grey top with her navy skinny jeans sans primate as he luckily had fallen asleep so she left him on a small tree she had in her room before she came.

"You don't look so bad yourself" Kate said as she let her eyes rove over Malcolm who wore a navy cotton button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and tan cargo pants.

"Come in" he said stepping to the side to allow her entry.

"I would have brought the wine but I'm not supposed to be drinking and Elisabeth really chewed my ass about the one and half ciders I imbibed yesterday. So I come bearing Juice" Kate said with a smile as she held up a bottle of tart cherry juice. It was Malcolm's favourite.

"We can save the wine for when you have fully recovered. It was just a gesture" he told her as he took the bottle of juice and placed it on the dining table. Kate looked to the dinner table and saw the set up of candles, the smell of garlic bread and Malcolm's signature pasta dish. She smiled as he liked to recreate their first date every month it was a tradition which Kate didn't mind indulging in.

"It was a very good one" Kate told him, she bit her bottom lip unsure of what she should be doing. The last 6 months they'd usually greet one another with passionate kiss if they were in his or her house of course if they were in the labs it would be a quick and polite kiss as they weren't overly fond of huge public display of affection.

"So is there anything I can help with?" Kate asked Malcolm had moved into the kitchen and served up the dinner. She was amazed at how weird it felt being in his house when over two weeks ago it had felt like a second home to her.

"No, just take a seat. I have everything in hand" he assured her with a smile. Kate picked up the juice bottle and poured out two glasses for them before she took a seat at the table.

"So how was your day?" Kate asked making conversation. Malcolm pulled a face as he placed dinner down on the table.

"Shocking. Dr Haynes wishes to have the infant primate back. Speaking of where is he?" Malcolm asked as he looked her over trying figure out where the little primate was hiding.

"I left him at Taylor's, fast asleep on a plant in the lounge room" Kate informed him before taking a bite of her dinner. Malcolm shot her look to which she quickly swallowed her food. "Don't look at me like that! Alicia is babysitting him. If he wakes up and misses me he'll just sniff me out but I doubt it as I left a small dish of live beetle grubs and grapes. He'll probably eat that and pass out full and happy" Kate told him with a smile.

"So how was your day?" Malcolm asked changing the topic.

* * *

"Still angry with me?" Taylor asked as he and Alicia were walking through the new extensions to the house that had been connected to the house. All that was left to be completed was some electrical, plumbing work and some paint of their choice on the walls. It was nice to have the house to themselves as Kate was over at Malcolm's.

"No, it's too exhausting to be angry" Alicia told him with a tired smile. It had been a long day but Taylor had started back into doing his duties only stopping by for a couple of visits with Lucas. It made Alicia feel better as she really had no desire to do Taylor's job.

"You don't look happy" Taylor said as she rubbed her forehead with one hand looking around.

"I'm tired. Anyway I'm amazed at how fast these extensions have gone up and the work is exceptional" Alicia commented changing the topic as they looked into the second bathroom that had a bath, vanity and a commode. It was definitely going to come in handy when they became a family of four. Actually Alicia couldn't wait to sink into a hot bath and relax for a few hours.

"Construction crew don't mess around. Tomorrow power and water will be put in and the backyard will be fixed." Taylor said.

"Then you won't have any problems painting the nursery this weekend" Alicia told him with a smile.

"I can do that. You have a colour in mind?" he asked with raised eyebrows as he felt like he was walking into a trap.

"I already have the paint for it in the spare room. Deep Ocean Blue. We just have to pick which room we want to put the nursery in and you can be put to work. Also Kate and I have a nice teal green paint for the bathroom and yellow paint for the hallway" Alicia informed him.

"You and Kate have been busy" he said amused and bothered that Kate was stepping into his shoes and doing what he was supposed to do with Alicia. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate her support because he did but he wanted to help pick out the colours for their house and hold Alicia's hand at the ultrasounds.

"We just had a couple of free hours and it helps we are industrious multi-taskers. Elisabeth said when we want to we can go to the infirmary and she'll do another ultrasound so we can hear their heartbeats. Any time next week" Alicia said with a shrug as she turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist and looking up at him.

"I'll make the time" he told her.

"Can you make dinner as well? Because I'm starving" Alicia said. Taylor chuckled as he nodded before he dipped his head for a quick kiss.

* * *

_TBC!~ See you all next week if not sooner :-) As always I welcome advice and suggestions!_


	14. Chapter 14

A/N:_ Big thank yous to the reviews and for reading! Should warn that it's a little bit like fluff central in my brain...Please Enjoy!_

* * *

"Hey, you're home" Alicia said surprised as Kate came through the door at 11pm. Taylor was already asleep and Alicia was hungry hence why she looking through the fridge trying to decide what she wanted to eat when Kate came through the door.

"I am" Kate replied as she looked at Alicia who was only wearing a floor length soft cotton kimono cinched at the waist and bedraggled hair.

"Shouldn't you be with Malcolm?" Alicia asked.

"Am I interrupting sexy time in the Taylor household?" Kate asked in a low voice, she wriggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"What?" Alicia asked confused.

"You have sex hair" Kate pointed out.

"No I don't" Alicia said, a loud snore cut through the air and Kate smiled.

"You wore him out already. Those pregger hormones are really kicking in aye?" Kate said with a chuckle as Alicia gave her an unimpressed look as her hair was not a result of the 'wild sex' Kate was assuming Alicia had with Taylor on a nightly basis but she couldn't be bothered correcting Kate. "As for my early appearance, I called it quits for the night." Kate said casually as she kicked off her shoes at the door and walked into the kitchen and went to making a pot of tea.

"Really?" Alicia said surprised as she figured it was Malcolm's choosing to call it an early night. He was the one with the problem of being put off by Kate's 'soldier' side. Alicia went back to looking through the fridge.

"I have an early morning" Kate explained.

"Never stopped you before" Alicia commented.

"Ok I chickened out." Kate said Alicia looked at Kate and quirked a questioning eyebrow at her. "It's just that with everything that happened and my current state. I thought it was wiser to take things slowly for a little while" Kate said lamely, as she took the kettle off the stove and poured two cups of tea.

Kate was one of those people who couldn't separate sex from her emotions. Hence she wasn't ready to jump right back into the physical side of the relationship as she wouldn't be able to keep a clear head and not let her emotions or wayward hormones get in the way. If she was being completely honest she was scared of further injury to her ego and heart if or when Malcolm turned around and call it a day on their relationship.

"Probably not a bad idea until you two are on the same page about what you both want out of the relationship" Alicia said in understanding as she pulled out a few ingredients and made herself a sandwich.

"Yeah, so was the monkey good tonight?" Kate asked changing the conversation.

"He behaved himself" Alicia said as Kate went over to the tree she had left the little primate on where he was currently hugging the branch sleeping peacefully. Kate smiled as she noted all beetle grubs and half the grapes were demolished.

"Good, hey I was thinking you should do yoga with me" Kate said turning her attention back to Alicia.

"No" Alicia said as she sat down at the dining table with her sandwich and the tea Kate had made her.

"Yes, it'll be good for you and your blood pressure which means it's good for the babies." Kate said as she sat down with her cup of tea opposite Alicia. Alicia eyed her for moment wondering if Kate's suggestion was a passing offer or not.

"You're not going to take no for an answer are you?" Alicia asked Kate smiled which Alicia interpreted to a 'no'.

"Come on give it a try for 9 months. You are going to get bigger and your usually PT regime of kicking people's asses and running is going to be a little difficult to maintain. Gotta keep in shape some other way" Kate added before she took a sip of her tea.

"Fine, I'll do it" Alicia said, she didn't like the idea of getting lazy with her PT as she'd have to spend months to regain her body after the babies were born to make up for it. But then she hadn't been able to do much the last few weeks between utter exhaustion and Nausea.

"Yes! Ok you can start tomorrow with Maddy and I. We'll do a very gentle practice. Oh and don't be put off by Maddy the girl is a human pretzel" Kate said rolling her eyes, Alicia laughed as she thought the same of Kate.

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Alicia asked Kate.

"Kind of" Kate conceded with a smile.

* * *

The next morning in the Shannon's backyard,

"Corporal" Kate said in a low voice as she waved a hand in front of a very distracted Corporal Reynold's face getting his attention. Kate had been helping Alicia and Maddy with small adjustments to their yoga poses before she noticed Reynolds staring at Maddy. Luckily the girl was too focussed to see him watching her otherwise she probably would have fallen over and hurt herself.

"Sorry Ma'am" he replied.

"You need something?" Kate asked him, as she kept her smile contained she would never understand why men found women stretching to be sexy. It wasn't like Maddy, Alicia and herself were dressed provocatively or scantily clad. They were in loose fitted pants and tank tops. Kate wasn't practising due to her ribs so she had a loose off the shoulder sweater to keep herself warm.

"Commander Taylor asked me to retrieve Lt Washington as she wasn't answering her comm-" Reynolds said as he was still distracted by Maddy. Kate snapped her fingers again to get his attention.

"It's called natarajasana, the dancer pose. Focus Reynolds and finish relaying the message" she told him in a disapproving tone though she was thoroughly amused.

"Right, sorry she's just so graceful" Reynolds murmured, he then realised he said it out loud and his cheeks went red from embarrassment. "Taylor said he wants her to report to the command centre in 15 minutes" Reynolds finished in a professional tone.

"Ok, I'll pass on the message. You can go now" Kate told him, he gave nod and reluctantly turned and walked away.

* * *

15 minutes later,

"Wash you're walking funny. You ok?" Jim asked as Alicia came into the Command Centre. Taylor looked up from his plex and frowned in concern. Alicia was dressed in her usual garb of forest camo BDU pants, black top with boat neckline and 3/4 sleeves with her leather vest. Her hair was slick back in a ponytail and he noticed the slight twinge of pain in her expression as she moved a little less smoothly than normal.

"I'm fine, I just discovered some new muscles this morning with Kate" Alicia said, she didn't like to admit it but she had never thought stretching would cause so many aches and they did gentle yoga in comparison to the body pretzel twisting Kate did on a daily basis. But Alicia knew her aches were also from her lack of PT she just didn't have the energy at the end of the day so her daily runs had slowed into every second or third day.

At least she wasn't exhausted from the yoga and the aches would work themselves out as she knew it was just her muscles adjusting and within a few practices she would be fine. She could even get used to the idea of eventually progressing to Kate's level as a goal. She needed something to give her peace and to focus her mind since she knew running wouldn't be easy with twins.

"I'm not sure how to take that one" Jim said.

"Yoga, Shannon" Alicia told him and he made a face of understanding and nodded.

"You're doing yoga now?" Taylor asked surprised. He had gotten up early to fit in his PT and catch up on his duties leaving Alicia to sleep in. His mind conjuring delicious mental images of Alicia scantily clad and stretching into downward dog before she transitioned into cobra, he swallowed as desire pooled inside him. Now was not the time to be thinking about her when he had duties to perform and a town meeting to hold.

"Yeah Kate convinced me to as it would be beneficial for me long term. I'm just surprised as I always thought I was pretty flexible until today. Anyway I assume we are going to go over the agenda for the town meeting?" Alicia asked.

"We are" Taylor said welcoming the change as he was trying to concentrate on the work at hand and not his wayward thoughts.

* * *

"It's nearly done! Some more furniture, doors, windows and this place will feel like home. Thank you for the coffee table. I love it" Kate said grinning. It was long rectangular shaped red gum wood coffee table with all the corners and all the edges had been rounded and smoothed so there were no sharp edges to injure yourself on and even the legs were sanded down nice and smooth. It was a pleasure to run her hand across the top enjoying the richness of the timber's colour.

"You're welcome. Don't forget you'll need a couple of beds, a dining table-"

"Ok so I need a lot of stuff but I have a house" Kate said cutting Carter off from the incredibly long list he was reciting to her. She didn't need him bringing her mood down with what she was lacking.

"You also have a 'Carter Original' coffee table and a really ugly tree and my rug until you get your own or I could move in save you buying a rug" he suggested, he was currently sharing barracks with the other sixers. He couldn't wait to get his own space and he didn't mind the idea of sharing it.

"That ugly tree is for monkey" Kate said she ignored his comment about moving in as it was just a whole can of worms she didn't want to touch. She placed her little friend on the tree to the side of the room. He jumped off the tree straight back onto her, she heard Carter snigger as the primate disappeared under her shirt and raced around her front to her back where she currently couldn't reach him.

"Monkey has taste. So want to go bed shopping?" Carter asked his wriggling eyebrows suggestively.

"Yeah we'll just jump in my car and head to IKEA." Kate joked as she moved around the Kitchen checking all the appliances were working and the water was running. She smiled to find everything in working order. It was the fastest construction of a house she had seen in a long time, if you dismissed the fact that it didn't have any windows or doors.

"Oh can I be the big spoon when we try out the mattresses?" Carter asked as he moved to a doorway to scratch his back. In his mind he was pretty sure Malcolm was the chick in the relationship.

"Dude! why are you using my house as a back scratcher?" Kate asked as he scratched his back with the edge of the closest doorframe for the third time in the last ten minutes.

"I have a rash" he said, he even lifted up the back of his shirt making Kate cringe as it looked bad.

"I hope she was worth it" Kate joked. Carter shot her a dark look as he was suffering.

"You're hilarious. It was one of those spider-snake mosquitoes bit me yesterday. Can we stop by the infirmary before heading to the town meeting?" he asked.

"Sure just don't expect me to rub any creams onto your back" Kate told him.

"Awwh you're not going to take care of me?" Carter asked her, Kate pinched his cheek and smiled.

"You're not my responsibility" she told him. They exited her house and started walking up the main street. It was a beautiful day where the sun was shining brightly and barely a cloud in the sky. Which was good considering the town meeting was outside.

* * *

In the Infirmary,

Lucas could hear Kate laughing about something with Carter and Alicia. His view was obscured as Dr Shannon left the curtain around his bed closed. He held his spoon tightly in his hand as he imagined stabbing the spoon into his guard's eye socket and taking his gun. Pointing it at Alicia's abdomen and firing a shot, the pressure from the blast would kill the child and perhaps if he was lucky Alicia would bleed to death from the internal damage. That would send his father into a healthy rage but it wasn't the plan and the likelihood of it being successful was zero. So he relaxed his hold on the spoon and placed it on the tray finished with his breakfast.

He had to remain calm, think the situation through and anyway he had no proof that Alicia was pregnant maybe he should allow his father the joy of expecting the spawn and then rip it all away from him as he so richly deserved.

* * *

From the other side of the Infirmary,

"Here I thought Kate was injured, now that I know better I have to go back to work" Alicia said in amusement while Carter looked at the two women darkly. They were mocking him and he was itchy which made his mood foul.

Alicia had finished up with in the Command Centre a couple of hours ago and was doing rounds when she saw Kate walking with Carter into the infirmary her first thought was that Kate was injured and decided to check to make sure her friend was ok. Only to find out much to Alicia relief that Kate was not the patient.

"Awwh don't pout Carter after the town meeting I'll buy you a cider and lunch at Boylan's" Kate said as she went to pat his back and stopped. She pulled her hand back and wrinkled her nose as if she might catch something by touching him.

"I have an allergy not the plague" Carter told her. He folded his arms and pouted which only added to the humour as the nurse came over to give him a shot antihistamine.

"The rash should clear up in 20 minutes and here is some calamine lotion to help until then. If you could remove your shirt I will apply some on you" The nurse told him. Kate and Alicia exchanged looks like they were having a conversation no one could hear before Kate spoke.

"Ok we shall leave you two to sort that. See you outside for the meeting later" Kate told Carter before she and Alicia left the infirmary.

Once outside of the Infirmary, Alicia looked at Kate noting her good mood and wishing she didn't have to bring her down but she didn't have a choice and she preferred Kate be in the loop than be put on the spot.

"Lucas is being moved to the brig in the next 20 minutes before the Town meeting" Alicia said as she and Kate walked toward the command centre. Kate nodded relieved at knowing Lucas would be locked away. She hadn't found a way to escape the brig when she had her time in there. She highly doubted Lucas could escape even with his devious mind. He would near help and as far she knew Lucas had no friends in the colony even the sixers apparently had no interest in helping Lucas or at least that's what Carter had told her.

"Good to know. I might make myself scarce" Kate said.

"I thought I should also tell you that Taylor is expecting you to support his position on keeping Lucas in the colony. He'll be incarcerated but still in the colony" Alicia said.

"Ok" Kate said calmly.

"Kate, you don't have to back him up you're entitled to your opinion." Alicia told her.

"I prefer to not give the subject any thought. Whatever Taylor believes is best works for me" Kate said with a shrug.

* * *

30 minutes later,

"I don't like you spending all day with Carter" Malcolm grumbled into her ear as he held Kate possessively in his arms. After a short conversation with Alicia, the brunette had been called back to the Command Centre Kate decided morning tea was in order and walked through the markets until Malcolm appeared at her side. He bought her a fruit kabob while they walked and talked as they wasted time until the town meeting.

She chuckled in amusement at Malcolm's barely concealed jealousy of Carter. Their latest topic as she told him about the absurdly large rash her friend had on his back. She had to admit in a small way she kind of liked it but she knew it would get old very fast. People were filling the square as the minutes ticked by. Kate and Malcolm were in their own world at the back of the crowd. Malcolm couldn't keep his hands to himself. It didn't bother Kate in the slightest as she loved and craved the physical contact of being touched and held.

"We work together and considering my work day consists of him working inside and me outside asleep in the bath tub or playing with the monkey you really shouldn't have anything to dislike" Kate told him before burying her face into his neck and taking a deep inhale taking comfort in his arms and his familiar scent.

"Ok I smell like a flower and you owe me a drink and a shot Renshaw" Carter said as he joined them at the back of the crowd.

"Carter" Malcolm said not impressed with Carter standing with them. The feeling was mutual as Carter looked equally unimpressed with Malcolm's presence. Kate ignored it as it wasn't like she needed them to be friends or planned on putting them in a room together.

"Dr Wallace" Carter returned.

"Boys" Kate said in a mocking tone as she turned around in Malcolm's arms putting her back to his chest while Malcolm kept his arms around her middle. "Carter, we'll get that drink after the town meeting" Kate said Carter.

"And a shot" Carter added.

"You're welcome to join us" Kate said to Malcolm.

"I can't I've been ordered to look at Lucas's calculations." Malcolm said with an exhausted tone.

"Bummer" Carter said even though he was glad Malcolm wasn't going to be there. He was planning on making Kate cut loose with a few drinks. Last thing he needed was her boyfriend there, he had no desire to be a third wheel.

"But I'll happily pick you up for dinner later" Malcolm said before placing a kiss on the curve of her neck.

"Mm sounds like a deal" Kate told him before turning her attention back to Carter who was grimacing. "What's with the grimace?" Kate asked Carter.

"I smell like a flower?" Carter said.

"A very manly flower I'm sure but are you itchy?" Kate countered. Carter opened his mouth to argue the point but closed it when he didn't have an answer. Kate wore a smug smile at the small victory before turning her attention to the balcony where Taylor had walked onto with Alicia and Jim just behind him. Silence filled the air as Taylor garnered their attention.

"I want to thank you all for your patience and for coming here today" Taylor started.

* * *

"That went well" Jim said as he sat down at the conference table with Taylor and Alicia. The town meeting though necessary had been a disaster. Majority of the colony wanted Lucas kicked out into the Jungle and preferably fed to a carno and that was the polite version of suggestions that had been put forth. They wanted blood and had no sympathy for the man.

Which was weird considering that majority of the colonists had no problem with the sixers but then the Sixers had their uses and had proven they weren't a threat the past few days which meant they could stay as they deserved a 'second chance'. Lucas on the other hand had been an evil dictator who brought misery and death to the Colony during the Occupation and deserved no second chances. Taylor had made his judgement clear that Lucas was going to be imprisoned for life. That he was not going to be soft on his own flesh and blood but he wasn't a cruel man either.

He also announced Alicia's step down from her position and Jim's subsequent promotion and announced there would be a few more changes in the Command Structure to accommodate more civilian representatives i.e. a deputy for Jim and a few other key information regarding the changes. He also lifted the OTG ban but said all applications had to be directly approved by him.

"Really? What part do you believe went well?" Alicia asked in disbelief, she thought it had been a disaster. She didn't like dissension in the colonists it didn't bode well. She also didn't like how the inconsiderate some of them were in trying to drag an opinion out of Kate. Casey Derwin had made a point saying that Kate should have a say in what happened with Lucas as she was the man's victim and how she nearly died at his hands and how she was treated.

It snowballed from there and the group turned their focus from Taylor to Kate saying they wanted her opinion. Kate's complexion washed out during the meeting and when they all turned to her to say something. She just calmly replied that she supported Taylor and his decisions in regards to Lucas and if they could move on as she had a house to go rebuild. Carter piped up saying she also had buy him a drink in the silence that lapsed and he'd appreciate it if they could all hurry up as he was thirsty before gesturing back to Taylor.

She was amazed no one asked why she was stepping down from her position as second in command for the colony but then she figured they were happy since she was the one who surrendered the colony into Lucas's hands. They probably felt it was about time she be punished for that transgression.

"The part where there was no riot?" Jim offered weakly as he was trying to make the best out of the situation. It's not like anyone had expected the meeting to go well. It was just aggravating that the civilian colonists had their opinions and liked to voice them without really thinking it through first.

"Right, well it's over with for now" Alicia said looking relieved at that.

"I think the OTG restrictions being lifted were a good move. Construction was low on supplies and have to get more timber and glass makers need sand and other supplies they need" Jim said.

"Well I'm sure Baz and Mira will have a list of parties ready to go OTG to find the materials in the next hour. I'm going to go talk with Lucas" Taylor said getting up from his chair leaving the command centre. Jim looked to Alicia.

"Is everything ok?"Jim asked her.

"I think he's trying to convince himself he's made the right decision" Alicia said still looking at the door where Taylor had exited the room.

"I think in this situation there's no wrong or right answer. This can't be easy for you though" Jim said. He had been through three pregnancies with Elisabeth to know how the dynamics of a relationship changed. With all the changes of the body, hormones and what not, it was supposed to a time when the man stepped up and made sure the woman wanted for nothing and felt secure, supported and not alone.

"It's not and I doubt it will get any easier in the future" Alicia admitted, she truly believed it would have been a lot better if Lucas had died not that she'd ever say that out loud. Right now Taylor was torn between trying to 'save' his son, his responsibilities as a Leader to the colony and Alicia. She knew where she ranked in the grand scheme and it stung deeply. She wasn't sure where her limit was but she was definitely sure in the next few weeks she would find it.

"I'm worried about you and Kate" Jim said honestly and he showed his concern. He was worried about how Lucas was getting in between Alicia and Taylor and how it was affecting Alicia. She was pregnant and she needed as much support she could get. As far as Jim could see Taylor's priorities were too involved with Lucas with no balance.

"Why?" Alicia asked.

"You two are the closest I have to girlfriends here" he said with a smile choosing his words deliberately to get Alicia to smile. It worked as she smiled and shook her head at him. "As such I want to know you're going to be ok and that Casa Del Shannon will always welcome you both if you ever need a place to stay" he added with a sincere note.

"Thank you" Alicia said sincerely, she paused for a moment and eyed Shannon for a moment wondering why he would vocalise such an offer which brought her back to her earlier question but she rephrased it. "Why are you worried about Kate?" Alicia asked.

Jim sat forward in his seat and looked around for a second before he informed her about Lucas's confession to Elisabeth about Kate. How Elisabeth felt that Lucas had not changed and Jim had said he keep an eye on Elisabeth and angle for some time to talk with Lucas and see for himself if the man was acting or if his change of spirit was real. He of course had talked with Kate and gauged her reactions to what Elisabeth told him. He told Alicia about how Kate had reacted, the pain, panic and fear that had been written in her. Kate heard him out and he knew better than to press her for anything more. He just offered that if she ever needed an ear to listen he'd be there for her. The woman needed to talk eventually about what happened during the occupation in a serious manner instead of downplaying it and changing the topic which was what she always did.

"…I think that he's planning something and just laying down the groundwork. But it's too early to start making too many assumptions but he's got Taylor convinced he's a changed man. I think I might talk with him see it for myself" Jim finished with a shrug.


	15. Chapter 15

Meanwhile in Boylan's bar,

"I am all for capital punishment. We can't throw him back out into the jungle but he's a drain on resources" Carter said before he and Kate threw back their shots. Kate had said one drink and one shot but somehow had been convinced into one drink and now two shots. With Boylan with a bottle she was pretty sure Malcolm was going to have to carry her home.

"Oh and you're going to become the Colony's executioner?" Kate asked sarcastically looking at Carter. She was glad Malcolm wasn't here. He would be displeased with the conversation topic.

"Kate you're not for Capital Punishment?" Boylan asked Kate diplomatically as he refilled their shot glasses and a third for himself. It was fairly quiet for the afternoon in Boylan's which was probably why the Australian was indulging in a couple of shots with Kate and Carter while Josh and a waitress tended to the other customers.

"I officially have no positive or negative opinions on the subject" Kate told him. They had been discussing the town meeting and drinking. Luckily the alcohol made the discussion bearable as Kate despised politics and discussions involving Lucas.

"Copout" Carter said as they are clinked their shot glasses and drank.

"That's right, I'm a dirty fence sitter. Deal with it" Kate told him as she placed her empty shot glass on the table. She personally would prefer to talk about the mating rituals of Carnos than talk about Lucas and the town meeting. She hated how she had been put on the spot.

Why was it that most of the time the colonist want her out of the colony and suddenly turn to her to say 'off with his head' when it came to Lucas. She wasn't a victim of his. She hated that terminology 'victim' like he had actually tainted her in some manner and meant she deserved pity. She hated pity. She preferred 'survivor' if she had to be labelled. Survivor meant you were strong, you lived and moved on.

"You're only on the fence because of Dr Wallace. You always compromise who you are for him. Hide parts of who you are" Carter told her. Boylan sat with avid interest watching the two as he continued pouring the shots and Carter and Kate drank.

"I'm allowed to keep my own secrets as he is." Kate said, she couldn't flatly deny the accusation as she did hold things back from Malcolm or compromised herself to be with him but that was between her and Malcolm not Carter who continued on his little tirade ignoring her comment.

"Your views and values are different to his, hell they are better. Yet you change to suit him. It's insane. Seriously the guy is a pacifist; why are you with him?" Carter asked her.

"You have no right to walk into my life and judge me or whom I choose to be with and deem them unsuitable just because they have different views on life to me. You have no idea what Malcolm and I have and frankly you've only known me for a couple of weeks." Kate told him. She took a long pull of her cider before she continued. "But since you believe you're the authority on me then tell me who the right guy for me is?" Kate asked Carter, he opened his mouth to answer but Boylan cut in before him.

"I would have thought it obvious Love" Boylan said with a mockingly serious tone ad expression as he leaned onto the bar and placed his hand over Kate's. She bit her lip trying not to laugh so she did the next best thing and went with it. She took his hand in hers and smiled at Boylan. "I told you from the first time we met that we were meant to repopulate the world with lots of little ankle biters of our superior Australian genes" he added.

"Of course I was so blinded by Malcolm and his pommy charms. Who knew a bloke like you was waiting for me all this time. Please tell me you forgive me and that there is still time" Kate told him, she laced her fingers with his and gave her best soap opera expression of 'I'm in love'.

"I know and it is ok. I forgive you. You're young, it's understandable you'd want to have a dalliance or two before we became serious. As for time? Well I got another good 20-30 years in me… plenty of time for us to start that cricket team of kids we dreamed about" Boylan told her as he placed a kiss on the back of Kate's hand who pretended to be coy. His eyes never left hers in their little rendition of 'Bold and Beautiful'.

"I think I gonna be sick" Carter said in a disgusted tone. Kate and Boylan looked at him before looking at one another and with a shrug the charade was over.

"Well no one asked you to watch Mate but thanks for spoiling a lovely moment" Boylan said as he released Kate's hand and they both returned to their previous positions and expressions. Kate smiling before she took a long pull of her cider.

"You Aussies are a weird bunch" Carter said before he took a long pull of his own cider.

"It's unfair to judge a whole culture on two people from completely separate time periods" Kate told Carter.

"Too right" Boylan said in agreement. "Now I'm going to go check to see where your lunch is at. Try not to have too much fun without me" he told the two. Kate picked up her cider and looked at Carter as she took a long pull.

"I'm not going to apologise for having an opinion" Carter told her.

"I didn't ask for an apology" Kate said.

"Then why are you looking at me like you want to kick my ass?" Carter asked.

"Old habits" Kate stated with a wry smile.

* * *

A few days later the dust settled on the disaster of the town meeting. An unsettling calm fell over the colony as several OTG parties left the Colony for supplies and scientific ventures left. It was so quiet that Taylor and Alicia found the time and the infirmary empty for a proper baby check up.

Proper being the appropriate word as Alicia got to see a holographic projection of the twins displayed above her with sounds of the heartbeats and Taylor sitting beside the bed watching his face as he smiled at hearing the heartbeats. The ultrasound was still not much to look at but still Alicia enjoyed the full experience where she didn't have to hide her joy or worry about Lucas over hearing. She even had a small bump but she looked more like she ate too much food instead of it being a pregnant bump. Luckily her pants still fit but in the next few weeks they'd have to tell people as she was going to start showing in a big way.

"7 weeks and everything sounds and looks to be in perfect health" Elisabeth said as she made a copy of the results and filed them away. "I'll give you two a moment" Elisabeth added before she left them alone.

"Amazing isn't it?" Alicia asked him as he helped her off the bed and into his arms. She couldn't help the overflow of emotions in her as her eyes filled with tears. She was happy, it was like all the pieces were just falling into place.

"You're crying" Taylor said as helped her off the bed and into his arms.

"I know I hope it's not going to become a habit. Are you happy?" Alicia asked him as she wiped her eyes. She hated to ask but a small part of her needed him to keep reiterating this was a good thing to him and he was indeed happy.

"Of course I am" he told her in a husky tone as he tightened his arms around her. He leaned in about to kiss her when they heard the sounds of Kate cursing loudly and something breaking. He kissed her quickly as he heard Dr Haynes's voice both immediately knowing the two women were not a good mix.

"Who drinks their coffee at the temperature of the sun?" Alicia heard Kate say in a dark tone. Taylor stepped out of curtained off bed area first and Alicia waited a few moments preparing herself for what was going to be an amusing and aggravating 15 minutes of her day. She couldn't wait for when Jim finally took over his duties next week. Dr Haynes would be his problem.

"It was an accident. Don't be so dramatic" Haynes said dismissively.

"Dramatic!" Kate scoffed.

"Commander Taylor, what a surprise! Is everything alright with you? Did you hurt yourself?" Haynes asked Alicia rolled her eyes at the woman's obvious interest with her cooing voice.

"Hello!? I'm the one with 2nd degree burns!" Kate said. Alicia slipped out from the side of the curtained bed and pretended to walk into the infirmary. Alicia winced as Kate's shirt was completely saturated with coffee. The redhead held the shirt away from her body but was easy to see she was in pain and angry.

"Please it's just a little coffee spill it's nothing" Haynes said dismissively. Kate looked at Haynes incredulusly and opened her mouth to disagree only for Taylor to cut in first.

"Dr Haynes I assume the remains of the coffee have been cleaned up. I'd hate for someone else to have an accident" Taylor said as it was clear the woman was uninjured from the encountered.

"I can't go Miss Renshaw has my research specimen firmly attached to her. I need to make sure it is properly removed, decontaminated and put into an isolation chamber immediately for observation" Haynes stated adamantly.

"What specimen?" Taylor asked Haynes as Alicia moved to Kate's side and opened her shirt a couple of buttons with Elisabeth carefully. They both saw the little primate with his claws sunk completely into the skin on the left side of her décolletage drawing blood. The primate was currently trembling something fierce and from what Alicia could see he had some minor burns as did Kate whose chest and stomach were nasty shade of red and blistering.

"The monkey" Alicia answered.

"My monkey" Kate stated.

"It's a primate" Haynes corrected.

"Oh fu-" Kate's words were cut off when Elisabeth tried to look closer at the primate only for the little creature tighten his hold on Kate in fear. Kate hissed in pain and pressed her lips into a thin line as she paled from the pain.

"Sorry, he's got quite the grip" Elisabeth said to Kate.

"There is a reason why live specimens are kept in cages and not carried on our person. They are wild animals not pets" Haynes said as if chastising Kate like she was an errant child. Kate's eyes went wide and she pursed her lips looking to Alicia with a look of 'if you don't make her leave now I'm going to kill her'.

"Why don't we save the lectures until all parties have been tended to, Dr Haynes I assure the monkey will be looked after with utmost care so please be kind enough to relieve us of your presence" Elisabeth said tersely.

"Of course" Dr Haynes said taking the dismissal in her stride. "I'll make sure my section of the lab is ready and the isolation chamber prepped" she added before she left the room.

"Geez she's acting like the monkey will turn into a gremlin and breed an army or something" Kate said after Haynes left. Elisabeth and Alicia helped her lie back on the bed.

"So what did happen?" Alicia asked for curiosity sake.

"I went in to see if Malcolm wanted to have lunch today and I had barely cleared the door when she jumped in surprise spilling her coffee on me. Just an accident" Kate said casually as she could. Her head was swimming and her chest was still burning from the coffee not to mention the pain of four sets of claws in her chest. Kate wished she had taken two pain killers that morning instead of one as right now she was feeling the pain. She wasn't in agony but she was distinctly uncomfortable and it burned.

"Ok, let's get this shirt off" Elisabeth stated.

"What not even a drink or dinner first?" Kate teased Elisabeth using humour to distract herself.

"Now that is over with I'm going back to work" Taylor said as he didn't feel the need to watch Kate be treated for burns when it wasn't necessary. "Wash, when you're done here meet me in the Command Centre" he added before leaving them.

"Did I break up the appointment?" Kate asked after Taylor left them.

"No we were finished" Alicia told her, Kate quirked an eyebrow at the impassivity of Alicia and Elisabeth's expressions.

"All good?" Kate asked.

"Perfect" Alicia said giving a soft smile. "But you are a walking disaster" Alicia told her in a disapproving tone. Kate gave a slight shrug and wry smile.

"Thanks, so one of you should call Malcolm as he should know how much sedative to give the little fella" Kate said as she looked down at the tiny primate, he was still shaking but had calmed down just not enough to let her go. She couldn't calm her racing heartbeat.

* * *

Half an hour later, Alicia walked into the Command Centre and waited for Taylor to finish signing a plex a soldier gave him. After he did the soldier left them alone and Taylor looked to Alicia.

"Wash, I assume Kate and monkey are doing well?" he asked with a glint of amusement in his eyes as he kept a serious face.

"Yes Sir, Kate is all healed. Monkey had minor burns on his arm and back but no open wounds. He's got tough skin. You should know Kate still has him in her custody" Alicia informed him.

"I guess I should look forward to Dr Haynes visiting me soon" Taylor drawled as he wondered when the woman would grace them with her presence.

"Should have approved her 6 month OTG request" Alicia drawled innocently as she moved to stand closer to him so she could speak to him in a low voice without anyone overhearing.

"You giving me cheek?" Taylor asked. Alicia shook her head coyly.

"No sir, just making a suggestion that it might be a good idea to allow maybe one or two outposts to be reopened" Alicia said.

"Just because some people don't get along with others doesn't mean we should reassign them" Taylor said with a wry smile as he could think of a few people he'd like to reassign to an outpost.

"Not even for a 6 month rotation?" Alicia asked with a hint of hope in her tone as they were both talking about Haynes again.

"No" he told her, Alicia gave a nod conceding she was not going to change his mind on extending their resources just to free themselves of Haynes and changed topic.

"Are you going to see Lucas today?" Alicia asked, it was becoming a daily event that Taylor would visit with Lucas. Usually it was in the morning but today Alicia had gotten preference which made her secretly happy. She knew Taylor and Lucas mostly sat in silence as she had watched the video feed from the brig. She couldn't help herself, she felt in her gut nothing about Lucas's change of heart was real. Jim didn't believe it and he had visited the brig a couple of times in the last few days himself.

Alicia couldn't bring herself to be in the same room. She liked to think it was loyalty to Kate that kept her from looking Lucas in the eye but it was also a fear that her gut was right. Lucas had spent too many years bent on revenge to just suddenly want to contrition, he had yet to reach his goal.

When Lucas did talk with Taylor he only asked about what was going on outside the brig, how Kate was. He asked after Kate's wellbeing a lot, he played the 'I want forgiveness' and asked for a plex to type a letter to her. Taylor didn't exactly no but placated Lucas by saying 'in time, just a few more days and we'll talk again'. Alicia always pretended she knew nothing of the conversations, she knew it was an invasion of privacy but she didn't want to be left in the dark.

"I will this afternoon after I talk with Malcolm" Taylor said.

"I'll make dinner for 7pm" Alicia told him so he knew not to be late.

"Is Kate going to be home tonight?" Taylor asked.

"No she's at Malcolm's right now I doubt she'll come home tonight"

"I don't know why he hasn't asked her to marry him yet" Taylor said mystified as he could knew that Kate and Malcolm had their issues to sort through but that didn't mean they weren't a good suit for one another and they were clearly in love with one another.

"Like you're one to talk" Alicia scoffed with a chuckle. Taylor looked at her oddly until he understood what she meant. They talk about marriage but he hadn't actually asked her nor had she asked him officially it was just an understanding that it was envitable.

"We will be tying the knot as soon as you pick a date and we make an announcement" Taylor countered defending himself. He espoused to his men to be traditional in the regards to courting women and he was failing to set a good example.

"Didn't exactly ask me though" Alicia said with a teasing smile.

"You want me down on one knee with a ring in hand?" he asked.

"Loses the romance if I have to tell you to do it and it's not necessary but we should make the announcement soon as I don't think I'll be able to fit in my pants soon. I was thinking we could inform the soldiers and senior staff as it's necessary for them to know. Let the information disseminate from there. I don't want to make a big town meeting of it. If you don't mind?" Alicia asked him.

"I don't and I think I should make an honest woman out of you before we inform the others. I'll talk with the Chaplin" Taylor said.

"Ok how about in four days? We both have the afternoon free. I want it to be small and private" Alicia said. He made a mental note to talk to Kate. He would need help to make it special and not a run to the chapel and a hasty exchange of vows. It would also win him some brownie points if he made it special and Alicia deserved her wedding day to be special even if it was going to be private and small.

"So you, me, the Chaplin and a couple of witnesses?" Taylor said.

"Is that ok? I know as head of the Colony you'd be expected-" Alicia started but Taylor cut her off.

"Wash, I want you what you want. You just take it easy and look after yourself and my girls. I'll take care of everything" He assured her, Alicia looked relieved and he wished that they didn't have the 'no PDA in the Command Centre' rule as he really wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her. She looked so beautiful even though she had dark circles under her eyes and still suffering nausea, he read it should pass in the next few weeks as her hormones settled down.

He personally couldn't wait as he had found the last few weeks that Alicia was a little more emotionally volatile than normal. He hadn't noticed at first but then she had been severely ill but the last few days with Lucas back in the colony had been a rollercoaster ride. He learned not to bring up Kate and Lucas in the same sentence, that he should always leave leftovers from dinner for Alicia and to get used to her 'happy' crying. Alicia normally wasn't a crier unless something was really wrong. So when she had cried during one their sessions of making love he thought he had hurt her but luckily she was fine. It didn't stop him from having a mini heart attack and the crying from listening to the ultrasound today with the heartbeats.

"See something you like Lieutenant?" Taylor asked her as he looked at Alicia who was currently looking at him like he was her catnip, she had even bit her bottom lip. Another by product of her hormonal upheaval was that it turned her already hyped sex drive into overdrive. She had informed him it comes and goes in waves when he found her staring at him rather intensely.

"Mhmm but it's business hours" Alicia said shaking her head and trying to pull her focus back to business instead of what she'd rather be indulging in. Taylor took a step closer and bent his head closer to her ear and she shivered in pleasure just from his closer proximity to her.

"We could have an early lunch, go over those reports and schedules in bed" Taylor offered he added 'in bed' in a low seductive voice.

* * *

"I scanned all the papers into the database. I even used his hand opened the device and plugged in the data as Lucas instructed. But the Eye doesn't have enough information to finish the calculations and it is a little out of my depth. I wouldn't know where to start if I were honest" Malcolm confessed as he rubbed his face with his hands exhausted as he reclined back on his couch next to Kate. Since he couldn't go any further with the repairs of the Terminus, he turned his attention to the calculations.

"Have you told Taylor this?" Kate asked as she was lying on the couch with her legs over his lap. He had been working from home this morning when he was disturbed by Haynes and then Elisabeth. Malcolm couldn't believe the absurdity of the situation and how Dr Haynes was getting up in arms about the primate. He helped sedate and removed the primate taking it to the lab to be cleaned and scanned. While he was there he explain Haynes very clearly that the primate was no longer a 'specimen' she could study as it was 'tamed' and any behaviour patterns she observed would just be conditioned behaviour patterns learned from Kate thus not a reflection of the species itself. As such it was Kate's responsibility and no longer hers and that she should move onto finishing her other research.

After his talk with Haynes he returned to the Infirmary and helped Elisabeth before taking responsibility of Kate and the primate from Alicia as Kate had been given a light sedative and was a little dazed but other than that fine as her burns and wounds had been healed. She had a quick shower and been given a scrubs before they returned to his house. Kate changed from the scrubs into one of his soft cotton shirts before retiring to the lounge. Malcolm continued his work while Kate dozed on the couch and the primate slept on a pillow near the couch so he could keep an eye on both of them.

Kate had woken up after an hour and thus here they were discussing what he was up to. He had missed the intimacy of talking with Kate even if she didn't understand his work most of the time. The last few days they had been meeting up for lunch and a couple of dinners taking things 'slow'. It reminded him of when they first started dating but instead of her sexually teasing him and getting hot and heavy. It was him doing all the teasing and taking the initiative with Kate setting the stops. He knew she wasn't freezing him out as punishment but as her self preservation.

"I will this afternoon" He said as he ran his hands slowly up and down the smooth skin of her calves in a soothing manner while he observed her carefully for a few moments. He wasn't blind to the uneasiness in Kate when it came to anything Lucas or Portal or time fracture related. "Do you want to talk about this?" He asked Kate quirked a questioning eyebrow.

"How I feel about the portals and Lucas is irrelevant" Kate said with a dismissive shrug.

"It affects you and what affects you affects me. So it's relevant to me, talk to me" he said. Kate looked at him for a moment before she lifted her legs off his lap. He thought for a moment he had pushed her too much or said something wrong until she straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. He slid forward on the couch to allow Kate more space as she pulled herself to him tightly. He felt her lips and her hot breath against his ear as she took a slow breath. He slowly circled his arms around her as he felt her body tremble.

"I hate that I'm pulled into these discussions where what I feel doesn't matter or make a difference. I hate Lucas and I wish he had died, so that we could all move on and heal. I don't want to be dragged into his world I don't want anything to do with him as his presence makes me remember things I just want to forget" She whispered in his ear. He heard the pain in her voice and felt her body tremble even more in his arms that he instinctively held her tighter. Getting Kate to talk about something she didn't want to talk about was like pulling teeth. He'd given up many a time trying to get her to talk about what happened during the occupation in any serious manner where she would acknowledge the toll it had taken on her.

She was forever downplaying everything that hurt her to protect herself. It annoyed him that he couldn't reach those parts of her but then he had proved her right in one respect. She feared if she ever acknowledge or talked about some of the horrifying things that happened she would scare him and she didn't want him to look at her like she was an unrecognisable monster. He had looked at her that way when she came for him in the Phoenix camp. He had lost her trust something he would have to earn back. Hence he knew it was trite to tell her she could tell him anything. So he kept his mouth closed and held her as tightly as he could without hurting her hoping it comforted her.

* * *

Later that afternoon in the brig,

"I spoke with Malcolm, he says the calculations for detecting a fracture and opening it aren't complete. If I give you a plex with the calculations would you continue the work?" Taylor asked Lucas.

"Yes, of course anything to help" Lucas said a little too eagerly. He was bored out of his skull sitting in the brig twiddling his thumb. He spent most his days when his father wasn't in the room he would pace the room formulating plans to escape all of them were fraught with problems and ending with 'if only I had two hands' other times he would reminisce his time in the brig when he was King of the Colony.

The brig had been cleaned but they could wash all the blood from the concrete where Kate had been tied to during their 'special' time together. Sometimes he could still smell the blood, sweat and burnt flesh but it was just a memory.

The memory irked him and gave him pleasure as he couldn't wait to see the psychological damage he had done to Kate. He had learned a lot of things from Escher, many things that made him sick to his stomach but the rest was educational. He doubted Escher believed he would survive or that his body would be found as the man talked to him for days on days. He did remember Escher saying that the greatest pleasure was seeing the fear in a strong woman's eyes the satisfaction that you were the one who made her weak and put her in her place.

"Good" Taylor said as he watched Lucas carefully. A silence lapsed between them before Lucas spoke.

"I was wondering how long it would be until I could ask for more visitors" Lucas asked carefully.

"Am I boring you?" Taylor asked with an amused tone.

"No, but I do have friends. Mira being one of them" Lucas said casually as he could. He needed to talk with Mira, he needed to know what was going on outside the brig and she was the only person who he knew would help him. He had a bargaining chip with the Calculations as she needed him to finish them to see her daughter again.

"In time. I need to know I can trust you before I extend privileges. Earn my trust and then we will talk about privileges" Taylor said, Lucas nodded as that was his father's standard answer when he asked for something.

* * *

_TBC~ See you all next week!_


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: As usual HUGE thanks to the following:- metube for helping out and your review! Elvis for your review! I feel honoured that my story distracts you means I'm doing something right! Also Smurf5 for your review :-D I want a monkey too! I'm not entirely sure of this chapter...I've been having bad brain fog but nonetheless ENJOY!_

* * *

"I got you something" Taylor said, he tossed the duffel bag he had brought home onto the dining table. He had talked with Malcolm and then Lucas about the calculations. It was one less thing on his to do list, he had asked Malcolm to inform Kate that he wanted her in the Command Centre at 10am the next morning assuming the woman would be sleeping at Malcolm's place tonight. He would have spoken with Kate at the time but she had been sleeping and he didn't want to disturb her. He figured it could wait until morning.

Alicia who had been preparing dinner in the kitchen washed her hands ad wiped them on a towel before she kissed him in greeting and moved to the bag he gestured to.

"Oh?" Alicia asked in surprise, she unzipped it and pulled out the BDU's he had pulled from storage."Maternity BDU's" Alicia stated but Taylor missinterpreted her tone.

"Yes, we have a good stash as it was an eventuality that some of the female personnel-"

"Would what? get knocked up?" Alicia asked with a little hostility.

"I was going to say pregnant" Taylor said diplomatically as he realised that her mood had changed and she now 'Dark Alicia' as he mentally called her when she became hostile and angry.

"Right, thanks" Alicia said dryly, it was definitely said with no gratitude. She was annoyed but couldn't figure out why as the gift was thoughtful. He had been perfect the last few days, the nursery and the extensions were painted. The backyard was ready and the outdoor furniture Taylor had before was placed back into its original placing. She gave an aggravated sigh. "Sorry, I do appreciate you getting these for me. I don't know why but I'm just angry" she said with another sigh.

"It's ok" he said not offended in the least.

"No it's not, I feel so angry that I want to pull my hair out and scream all for no reason" Alicia said aggravated, Taylor moved to stand in front of her and placed his hands on her arms and caught her eyes with his.

"Close your eyes" he told her, it took a moment for her to comply but she did. "Take a slow and deep breath" he said in a soothing manner, Alicia did as he said and took a slow and deep breath letting go of the irrational anger.

Before she could open her eyes and tell him the breathing exercise was a waste of time, she felt his lips on hers in a hard and fierce kiss and continued to kiss her senselessly. She hadn't expected the kiss, let alone the overpowering effect they had on her as the anger she felt before disappeared and he set her on fire with desire and hunger.

Her arms roped around his neck as she returned the kiss as she melted against him. His hands travelled hot path down her back and under her shirt. He found the softness of her skin and moaned at the smooth sensation beneath his fingertips. He broke the kiss and pulled the t-shirt off Alicia as she quickly unbuckled his shoulder holster and tossed it on the dining table.

"lounge or bedroom?" Alicia asked in a breathless voice as she stripped him out of his shirt. Then her hands were everywhere, skimming across the muscles in his shoulders, chest and back touching him, caressing his skin just lightly enough to drive him insane.

"Bedroom" Taylor answered before kissed her. He covered Alicia's mouth with his and drank her in. She tasted sweet and hot before she ramped the tempo to where she wanted it to be. She slipped her tongue into his mouth pulling him against her, he welcomed her fiercely, he had decided he'd rather channel her irrational anger into more pleasurable pursuits as he kissed her harder and deeper drawing her into him.

She kissed him back trying desperately to get even closer, she could feel him pressed against her, fully aroused. She had to admit she was impressed at his stamina, it wasn't the first time today they had retired to the bedroom for some hot sex and definitely not the last as she was dizzy from need and so incredibly, unbearably aroused she'd kill him if he stopped or if anyone interrupted them.

* * *

"Stay tonight" Malcolm told Kate as they were fully clothed and lying in his bed. He brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She was lying on her back due to her broken ribs while he laid on his side with his head propped up so he could look down at her. They had a late dinner and tea before they move to the bedroom so they could lie down together comfortably. Or at least that was how he explained it to Kate as he wanted her to stay the night and felt he had a better chance of her saying yes if she couldn't see the front door and was already comfortable in bed.

"Malcolm" She started only for him to cut her off.

"I'm not pushing for a shag. I just want to wake up with you in my arms. I miss you being here in the mornings" he told her, it was the truth. He liked waking up to her curled up warm against his side. There was something to be said waking up next to someone you love even if your other half woke up at the ungodly hour of 6 am, 6 days a week. "We will only sleep Promise. But I won't be adverse to you shagging me" he said with a casual shrug and less than innocent grin as Kate laughed.

"Ok" Kate said as she interlaced her fingers with the fingers of his free hand.

"Ok to the staying over part or the shagging me part?" Malcolm asked Kate smiled and was about the answer when a soft snore stopped her. Malcolm frowned and looked over at the primate that was asleep on bedside table on Kate's side. The primate had rolled in his sleep and was lying at an awkward angle and was snoring while Kate was giggling.

"I don't think I like him being in my bedroom" Malcolm said, Kate looked at him and calmed herself yet the smile remained on her face.

"He's adorable and who knew you were so possessive. First Carter, now my monkey" Kate said in a teasing tone to him as she freed her hand from his and tugged on his shirt wanting him to kiss her.

"He's a noisy little bugger who crawls all over the woman I love 24/7. Of course I'm jealous" he replied in good humour leaning over her with his lips mere millimetres from her. She lifted her head to kiss him but he pulled away playfully before giving her a quick peck. He would have kissed her more deeply but the primate's tiny snores were really killing the mood.

"He is attached to me maybe 15 hours a day, could you pick up and lay him back onto his stomach? I don't want him to get a crick in his neck. Please?" Kate asked him sweetly.

"I feel like this is just the start of 'love me, love my monkey' demands" Malcolm grumbled in good humour as he adjusted his weight to reach over her without squishing her. He picked the primate and did as Kate asked. The snoring ceased and Malcolm smiled. He moved his hand to her thigh and slowly stroked up her hip, teasing the fabric of her knickers at her hip as looked down at Kate who was watching him with her grey eyes that were darken with heated desire.

He moved his hand to the buttons of the shirt slowly undoing them from the bottom up. He stopped at her bust and brushed the shirt from her abdomen leaving the top half still covered.

"Malcolm" Kate sighed as he settled between her legs and kissed down her abdomen and his hands slowly massaged her flanks and arching her back. She ran her hands through his soft hair.

"Yes?" he answered innocently looking up at her.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked in a breathless voice as Malcolm's hands didn't stop moving as he slid up her body and looked down at her with a sexy as hell grin. He knew exactly what he was doing to her.

"Just helping you relax" he said as he placed a kiss on her collar bone.

* * *

Taylor woke up early the next morning and disentangled himself from Alicia's. He really wanted to stay in bed with her but he had things do. One in particular was currently hiding under his bed. He reached under and pulled out the small velvet ring box.

He opened the box and looked at his paternal grandmother's rings. It was a classic design, a 2.00 ct 5 stone engagement ring with a plain 18k white gold band and a plain white gold wedding band. The rings was supposed to be his brother's but when their father bequeathed the rings in his death Mitchell had tossed the ring at Taylor saying he had no desire for sentimentality or carrying around rings he'd never use. Taylor of course kept it but only because he hoped Mitchell would change his mind only he never did.

He mused about how different the rings were. Ayani's ring was a vintage style butterfly design bridal set. The heart shaped diamond engagement ring setting had fourteen round diamonds. Pavé set as butterflies on the 14k Rose gold band. The matching wedding band featured twenty-one round brilliant cut diamonds. Taylor had kept the rings after her death hoping to pass them onto Lucas, knowing Ayani would have wanted Lucas to have them. As much as he hated to admit it he knew the rings would stay in the safe under his house.

The ring he looked at now was more suited to Alicia even if it was a bit flashy with the diamonds. For now it would be perfect and if she wanted the local jeweller to melt it down into something different then she could. The engagement ring was matched with a plain white gold band. He could see her wearing just the plain white gold band as it was more practical. The engagement ring was a symbol. She didn't have to wear it as long as she wore the wedding band he would be happy.

He pulled the engagement ring out of the box and carefully lifted Alicia's left hand slipped the ring onto her ring finger. He made yet another mental note that the wedding band would have to be resized as the engagement ring was loose on Alicia's slender finger. Funny how he didn't remember Grandma Taylor having large fingers.

He pulled on a pair of cotton pyjama pants and a t-shirt in case Kate was home before he quietly left Alicia to sleep while he started making breakfast.

"Marry me" Taylor murmured into Alicia's ear as she was still asleep, he placed the breakfast tray with food on side dresser in the room before climbing back into bed and spooning Alicia from behind. He placed a kiss in sweet spot below her ear on her neck.

"Alright" she said but the way she said it was like she hadn't been listening and was still asleep that was until she jerked out of his arms and turned to face him with an incredulous look. "Wait, what?" she demanded confused and still half asleep state.

"Marry me" he repeated but of course it had been missed as Alicia saw the ring on her left hand and was caught up in looking at the ring in stunned shock. Taylor stifled a laugh as he had never though he could put her into such a state with a couple of words and a few diamonds.

Alicia looked at the ring it was beautiful, classic in design. She wasn't one for jewellery but this ring could definitely persuade her to make an exception. It just needed to be resized, she looked up at Taylor. She had said he hadn't proposed to her, not that she really cared but this was something else. Here she was with a diamond ring, the man she loved. She liked how things were coming together.

"Sorry you were saying?" Alicia asked him as she swallowed her nervousness. She had no idea why she was nervous. They were getting married in three days. It wasn't like anything was going to change the evitable but she had never been proposed to, so she had to admit it was a first. She needed clothing if she was going to retell this story a million times over she needed to dressed.

"I said 'Marry me'" Taylor told her as he watched her pull on a pair of knickers and one of his button down shirts. She looked slightly relieved to be clothed, she normally had no problem being in the buff.

"Trust you to turn a question into an order" She said with a playful smile. She was going to get him to ask her even if breakfast grew cold. On second thoughts she might just eat breakfast and wait as it all looked delicious, she was starving and why let the food go to waste.

"Wash?" Taylor said sitting up in bed with a bemused expression.

"Mmm?" Alicia asked feigning ignorance as she moved to the breakfast tray leaving her back to him. Taylor shook his head in amusement before he got out of bed and moved to her side. He turned her to face him and wrapped his arms around her waist. He realised she was waiting for him to propose to her properly. She ate a blueberry looking at him patiently waiting for him to speak.

"Alicia Washington, I love you with every fibre of my being. Would you do me the honour of marrying me and becoming my wife?" He asked her sincerely. He watched as tears filled her eyes and he slightly panicked that he said the wrong thing but much to his relief she gave a wide smile and nodded.

"Yes" She answered he smiled and then kissed her with toe curling passion. When he broke the kiss they were both panting for air. Pressing his forehead to hers.

"You like the ring?" he asked.

"I love the ring, though it will need resizing" She said. He exhaled a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding and smiled. He was glad she loved the ring. Glad she said yes even though it was already decided before he went through all the preparation.

"Yes we will have to see the jeweller for wedding bands as well… I will make an appointment after lunch around 3pm" he told her.

"And you're speaking with the Chaplin when?" She asked as she wiped her eyes making a face as she hated crying over all the little things.

"Today at 10:30am, I will have lunch in the mess today as I don't know when I'll be finished with the Chaplin" he informed her, he didn't want her waiting for him in case he ran late with everything he needed to do.

"Got a lot of sins to confess?" Alicia asked in a teasing manner she could definitely name a few of his sins not that she cared to as she preferred to eat breakfast.

"Ha ha, get back in bed and I'll bring breakfast to you" he told her as he spun her out of his arms and smacked her lightly on the ass.

* * *

Kate woke up and looked at the clock on Malcolm's side of the bed reading '7am'. She rose up from the bed just as her stomach growled for food, she winced at the noise but it didn't disturb Malcolm from his slumber as he rolled onto his stomach and continued to sleep.

She smiled at the sight of him and the primate who was imitating the same position on the pillow on the bedside table before she picked up the shirt she wore last night and pulled it on along with her knickers. She quietly left the bedroom moving to the Kitchen. She searched the kitchen and smiled as she pulled out fresh fruit, the ingredients to make pancakes and utensils necessary for breakfast.

Malcolm appeared in the kitchen 20 minutes later where Kate had the table set up and ready with a fruit salad of mangoes and mixed berries. She flipped the last pancake she had in the pan and smiled at his dishevelled appearance as he had haphazardly pulled on a pair of cotton pyjama pants and a shirt with the buttons half done up but all in the wrong corresponding button holes.

"Mmm Pancakes" he said as he moved behind her and kissed her neck as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I was hungry for more than scrambled eggs" Kate told him as she watched the pancake not wanting it to burn after she had managed to cook a whole stack without burning a pancake yet.

"You know, I was hoping to wake up with you in my arms this morning" he said her as he continued to trail kisses up the side of her neck. Kate tilted her head to the side to giving him easier access to her neck.

"Maybe tomorrow" Kate said a pleasurable sigh as his hands roved her body, the memories of last night's pleasures resurfacing making it harder for her to concentrate on not letting the pancake burn.

"So I'll see you back here for dinner? I'll might make stew" he said knowing it was her favourite comfort food.

"Mmm I like the sound of that" Kate murmured closing her eyes for a moment.

"I have to say I'm really enjoying this 'taking things slowly'. But I'm not sure how I will concentrate on my work when all I'm thinking of is you in my shirt" he whispered hotly in her ear, Kate lifted the pancake out of the pan and placed it on the stack before placing the fry pan and spatula to the side before turning in his arms to face him. She wore an evil grin as she let her hands drift down to ass.

"With great difficulty I'm sure" Kate told him as she squeezed her hands on his ass. "Breakfast time!" she said cheerfully as she realised him and ducked out of his arms.

"You're such a tease" he groaned. Kate laughed as she picked up the plate with a stack of pancakes and moved to the table.

* * *

An hour later, after they had finished a leisurely breakfast which the primate interrupted by crawling up Malcolm's leg to get Kate. Malcolm cleaned up the dishes while Kate took the primate out to the backyard for apparently their 'morning ritual' where Kate helped the primate dig up beetle grubs and worms with the primate for his breafast. She mostly dug around and pointed out the bugs wile the primate jumped around eating them and digging himself. Malcolm watched for a few moments enjoying the frivolity of her Kate's enthusiam to play and teach the primate before he had to take a shower and get ready for work which was what he was doing right now.

"I forgot to mention that Taylor dropped by yesterday when you were asleep he wants to see you in the Command Centre at 10" Malcolm said to Kate as he changed into a white linen shirt and cargo pants. She too had also finished a quick shower separate from his, much to his disappointment.

"Plenty of time for me to go home and change" Kate said as she lazily reclined on the bed she had changed back into the clothes she had worn yesterday as they were freshly clean from yeaterday's coffee spill. He wished he could take the day off and laze about in bed with her but he knew she would make herself busy and Taylor needed her.

"You know you could keep some spare clothes here, I have the space in the closet and a draw that isn't being used." He told her, she was nothing like the previous women he dated. Not that he dated many women but they all at some point left something behind in his place like an indicator that they wanted him to take the relationship to the next step.

Of course Malcolm never asked them and with Kate it he who was actually dropping hints hoping she would pick up on the offers. He couldn't figure out if she was oblivious to the hints or a traditionalist like Taylor where she would move in when they got married. The 'when' part was yet to be decided as Malcolm was sure now was not the time to be proposing. He carried the engagement ring with him everywhere all he was waiting for was the right time. Right time would be when he was 90% sure she'd say yes.

"Are you sure?" Kate asked.

"Yes, I've been saying it for months" he reminded her.

"I know but for months I live just across the road" Kate reminded him.

"Now you live on the other side of the colony" Malcolm told her as she got up from the bed and walked over to him.

"You make a 10 minute walk sound like a 3 hour hike" Kate said chuckling, she straightened his collar for him.

"Why aren't you rebuilding across the road?" Malcolm asked out of curiosity.

"Two times the house has been destroyed I really doubt third time's a charm" Kate said tongue in cheek. "I think it might be turned into a community garden or small park... it hasn't been decided yet" Kate added, she was pretty sure Baz had no intention of putting another house there unless Taylor told him too as what remained of the house where torn down and the site cleared of all materials.

Malcolm moved to the open wardrobe and pulled his jacket off the hangar. He heard the soft thud as the velvet ring box he carried with him everywhere dropped out of the pocket and fell onto the floor. They both stopped and before he could reach for it Kate picked it up off the floor.

There was no ignoring what it was or what it meant. Kate looked at the box but didn't open it. She then at him, too scared to open it as she saw his less than eager expression to explain. she felt like someone had punched her in the stomach, he had planned to propose to her but hadn't. She mentally shook the thought before it went in a direction she didn't want to think about.

"You dropped this" She said awkwardly as she hastily shoved the box back into his hands. She hadn't opened it she could easily pretend it was something else._ Lots of things came in small velvet boxes_ she reminded herself.

"It's-" he started but Kate cut him off.

"I have a pretty good idea" Kate said not looking at him. He was slightly disappointed by her reaction but understanding her completely. He wanted to propose and for it to be special not some half assed event because he accidently dropped the box in front of her. He slipped the velvet box back into his pocket. He caught her chin with a hand tilted her face to look at him.

"Nothing has changed except for timing, I had planned to ask you on our 6 month anniversary but well you know what happened" He said softly, Kate nodded tears in her eyes. she swallowed the lump in her throat and fixed his coat as a distraction.

"You should get to work. I'll lock up" Kate told him, he nodded and turned to leave but barely left the bedroom before she added "I would have said 'yes' to you proposal. Just for the record." she said.

He turned around and cupped her face crashing his lips on hers in hard, possessive kiss. When he pulled back he looked at her with cerulean eyes smouldering with desire and raw emotions. She licked her slightly bruised lips and gave a shaky exhale as her head swooned from the intensity of the kiss.

"I'll have to make sure that answer doesn't change between now and when I do propose" he told her in a gruff voice. She gave a nod as she couldn't trust her own voice or think straight, he smiled brightly as he kissed her briefly again and left the house. Kate moved to the bed and sat down before her legs gave out, a smile graced her lips.

* * *

An hour later,

Taylor looked up from his plex when a knock sounded at the door, he smiled as Kate stood at the door way.

"How are you?" he asked as he waved her in and gestured for her to take a seat. Her disposition was definitely sunny today he mused as she was all bright smiles and full of energy even if she was a little out of breath with a lovely pink tinge to her cheeks.

"Very well thank you, yourself?" Kate said slightly out of breath as she took her seat happy to sit down. Happy in general, even if her ribs were giving her a bit of grief she had forgotten to take her pain meds but she was just happy. The kind of happiness that was derived from knowing things were going to work out.

"I'm well, in fact there is something I need your help with" he said.

"Malcolm said you stopped by while I was unconscious yesterday" Kate said.

"Resting as you should be. Wash and I want to get married in 4 days. I of course said I'd take care of everything but we need to keep it under wraps. I was hoping you'd help me" he said.

"Sure, what do you need me to do?" Kate asked, with the sixers OTG with half of the construction crews collecting supplies she was currently on holidays as she had no one to supervise.

"Come to the chapel with me…" Taylor rattled off a list of things he wanted to achieve "but I want to done in three days time to surprise her" he added.

"We are going to need more man power if you want that to happen" Kate commented.

"We want to keep it small and private. So the Shannons, Malcolm and Guzman are all that I'm allowing. I trust them to keep their traps shut and Wash won't murder me for not following her orders if it's only a few people" Taylor said begrudgingly, Kate chuckled at the Commander being worried about crossing Alicia.

"Ok, shall we go to the Chapel?" Kate asked, she didn't even know the place had a chapel since all the funerals she attended were up in the cemetery. Taylor nodded in agreement as he got up from his seat.

* * *

"So I take it from your blindingly sunny disposition the first sleepover with Malcolm went very well" Alicia commented as she and Kate sat down at a table in Boylan's bar for lunch. Kate was wearing a really goofy smile like the whole world was rainbows and happiness. It was nice to see things were working out for her friend.

"Yeah it was great" Kate said with a soft smile. She was had an odd but productive morning to say the least. First with Malcolm and then going to the Chapel with Taylor and then talking in secrecy with Elisabeth at her house about flowers and the reception. Elisabeth was very helpful and super keen, as she proclaimed to love weddings. To the point Kate was dragged back to the Chapel to discuss decorations, music and general logistics. Kate who had only attended a couple of weddings appreciated the help as she was completely lost.

They had even gone to the markets bought the wedding dress and other dresses among other clothing Kate needed under the guise that Elisabeth believed Kate's wardrobe was heavily lacking a 'feminine' feel. They ordered the flowers and talked about how of Kate was making a 'special dinner' at her new place for her and Malcolm and needed everything had to be perfect. The local stall owners ate it up along with the terras, by the end of the next hour rumours would be flying about how Kate was making a big dinner to 'celebrate good news'. Kate knew speculation would be high as to what the 'good news' would be. They also ran into Jim who asked Kate about whether she had made her decision to which she finally gave him an answer to if she would take the position of Deputy only a few days over due.

"So you two are back doing the-"

"No not yet. He doesn't make it easy" Kate said cutting Alicia off. Alicia laughed at Kate who blushed as her thoughts went in salacious directions. "Maybe, tonight I'll keep you posted" Kate said tongue in cheek. Alicia laughed at Kate's cheekiness.

"You can keep the dirty details to yourself" Alicia told her.

"Well I wouldn't want you to give you any ideas to use with Taylor. So did you guys miss me last night?" Kate asked.

"No, we were busy" Alicia answered. Kate sniggered as she leaned forward, she gave a wink and touched her nose in a 'I know' gesture.

"Uhuh, I get it. You two have got to get in all the 'special' time before your lives are taken over by the ankle biters" Kate said in a low voice so not to be overheard. A mischievous grin on her face. Alicia leaned forward looking just as mischievous.

"If they get to be too much for Taylor and I. Will just send them to Aunty Kate's house for a visit" Alicia told her. She had expected a witty reply but she noticed Kate's eyes had drifted to her cleavage.

"Is that an engagement ring?" Kate asked hushed tone, Alicia looked down and noticed her chain with her tags and engagement ring were hanging out of her top.

"Yes" Alicia said holding her tongue on a sarcastic remark.

"Seriously?! I've been sitting here for more than 15 minutes and you've been holding out me very important news. May I have a closer look? How did he pop the question? I assume he asked you properly and didn't just order you. 'Put on that ring soldier, your marital status has been officially changed to engaged' or however he would put it" Kate said . Alicia chuckled as pulled the neck chain off and took the ring off the loop handing it to Kate.

"It was not like that and anyway I'll tell you when we aren't in a crowded bar" Alicia said.

"It's a beautiful ring" Kate said as she held with the tips of her fingers.

"Thank you, it's a little big but that will be rectified as there is a married couple who are jewellers, they works out of their home" Alicia told her, she made a mental note to watch the time as she had only a couple of hours or so before she had to meet up with Taylor. She watched as Kate eyed the jewellery with an appraising eye for a few moments before holding it out to Alicia.

"Hello, there's a shiny ring. Did Malcolm finally get down on one knee?" Boylan asked Kate as he appeared at the table looking at the ring still in Kate's hand like she was showing Alicia not giving it back to her. Alicia was glad his assumption was that it was Kate's as she didn't want the colony to know until after the wedding. If Boylan found out then the whole Colony would be looking for their invitations. It reminded her that she would need to talk to Kate and ask her to be a witness and her maid of honour at the wedding.

"No-" Kate started only for Alicia to cut her off.

"It's her grandmother's ring. I've been going through the inventory returned by the Sixers. I thought it was best to return it to Kate" Alicia lied as she handed the ring back to Kate. She shot Kate a pleading look to back her up.

"Really, I'm amazed they didn't try and flog it off to me. Nice ring, may I?" Boylan asked Kate reluctantly handed the ring to him and he held it up to light. "What's the history?" he asked. Kate looked at Alicia for who Kate was currently up to her neck in lies for. _What was a few more white lies..._ Kate mused.

"My grandfather gave it to me as a graduation gift after I finished my Masters" Kate lied to him. Boylan pulled out handheld jeweller's microscope and held it to the light inspecting it. Kate looked to Alicia in amusement while Alicia felt nervous at Boylan holding the ring.

"18k white gold setting, the diamonds are slightly cloudy, got a few flaws though. I'll give you 5000 terras if and when you are ready to sell it." Boylan said. Kate laughed and shook her head at him as she sat back in her chair looking up at him.

"Either your scope needs cleaning or you need reminding that you can't pull one over me. Those Diamonds are colourless with flawless clarity. I could fence this ring for 15 thousand easy. No way would I ever part with it for such a poor price" Kate told him in good humour taking the ring from him.

"My apologies can't blame a man for trying. Anyway how do you know so much about diamonds?" Boylan asked unashamed for being caught trying to fool Kate. Alicia felt better for having Kate tear Boylan down for insulting the quality of her ring.

"Diamonds are a girl's best friend" Kate quipped it was better than saying 'Oh you know, I was taught how to assess and use gemstones as currency in my previous profession and I'm fluent in bullshit' She liked Boylan but he was a shifty character. The man laughed at her joke and clapped his hands together to signal he was ready to take food orders.

"Ok what can I get you two ladies?" he asked, Alicia and Kate gave him their orders and after a few more seconds of conversation he left them to themselves.

"So I guess I should keep this for appearances sake?" Kate asked holding the ring.

"Yeah" Alicia said wistfully.

"I promise not to let the monkey swallow it and if he does I'll give him the Heimlich maneuver" Kate joked, Alicia's eyes went wide at the thought before shaking her head there was no way the monkey could swallow it, could he?.

"I appreciate it but on second thoughts just slide it to me under the table" Alicia said not wanting to tempt fate either way. Kate laughed as she did as Alicia asked.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Lucas looked up as the door to his cell opened and his father walked into the room it marked the time as it was the afternoon. He watched as the old man came in holding a pile of his papers and a plex. He wished he had the time as he was pretty sure his father visited like clockwork at the same time everyday. Taylor was a man of routine.

"Father" Lucas said as he sat up from his bed.

"How are you Lucas?" Taylor asked as he came into the brig the door closing behind him.

"Well, I've haven't been up to much except thinking" he admitted with a wry smile. It wasn't like there was anything else he could do in the brig. He ate, slept, indulge in some exercise. He was only taken out of the brig once a day for a shower and that was late at night when no one could see him. It was the only time he could think of a time to escape but being cuffed at the wrists and ankles surrounded by at least four guards and Guzman made escaping impossible unless he got outside help.

"I brought you some work, the calculations" Taylor stated as he placed the papers and the plex on the table with two chairs he had provided for Lucas before taking his usual seat at the table.

"I don't understand why you want me to finish this. If you manage to open the portal Terra Nova you're just opening a door to your enemies in 2149" Lucas told him as he took the seat opposite Taylor at the table. He would have thought he father would relish being king of the 'New World' without worrying about 2149 butting their heads in.

"It's a risk I'm willing to take, we won last time" Taylor said with a hint of smugness in his tone.

"You only won because I underestimated you and you had Kate. Without her and that sniper rifle it could have been a different story" Lucas said just to be a little spiteful he couldn't be perfect all the time.

"It could've been" Taylor conceded as he felt that his son was being honest for once as there was no power play in the current conversation. There was no hostility either which was surprising.

"It could take me months or I might not be able to finish the calculations at all" Lucas warned him.

"I ask you just give it a shot. If you can't do it, it won't be any skin off my nose but Mira won't be happy" Taylor said.

"I know she misses her daughter" Lucas said in empathy though inwardly he was relishing over the sentimentality that held power over Mira. It would help him use her, sentimentality was for fools.

"We all miss someone we have left behind" Taylor said pensively.

"Not you" Lucas said. Taylor narrowed his eyes at him. "I heard you and Wash are having a kid" Lucas added he watched for Taylor to betray any reaction except the old man laughed.

"That's news to me" Taylor said in amusement while inside he was calming down from a slight panic. When he heard 'kid' instead of 'kids' he knew it was just a rumour, though that begged the question of where Lucas heard that locked up in a cell. He knew his soldiers weren't talking about it otherwise Guzman would have told him.

"So it's just a rumour" Lucas prompted.

"It would be unprofessional of me to fraternise with my XO let alone impregnate her. I'd lose my command and be slapped with an Dishonourable discharge. Where did you hear that anyway?" Taylor asked casually still chuckling hoping Lucas believed he thought the idea was absurd and dispel it. Alicia made him promise not to tell Lucas and he was not going to break the promise. Even if he felt guilty for cutting Lucas out of a circle he should've belonged in. If only Lucas could be trusted Taylor wishfully thought.

"When I was in the infirmary. Don't treat me like an idiot, I know about you and her, your 'secret' relationship this past 5 years or so. It's not a secret the whole colony knows" Lucas informed him.

"I've found the Colony likes to romanticise my friendship with Wash" Taylor commented, he knew Elisabeth wouldn't have accidently said anything and the fact Lucas assumed Alicia was having one child not twins meant the source incorrect but still needed to be silenced.

"Right" Lucas said signalling he was dropping subject. He knew his father was lying to him, he was good at lying but his eyes gave him away. He saw the panic. Lucas felt the anger seethe inside him that Taylor would blatantly lie to him but he refused to show it instead he changed the topic.

"How long will you give me to show progress?" Lucas asked indicating to the papers and the plex.

"That's up to you" Taylor said.

"I may need more paper, pencils or pens and access to the Eye" Lucas told him.

"I won't allow you access to the Eye until necessary" Taylor said calmly.

"Why would restrict me from using the eye? It will make things go faster unless you really don't want me to finish the calculations" Lucas speculated.

"We'll address that in a few months time if you haven't made any progress" Taylor told him, he was not letting Lucas leave the brig or giving him free access to Eye and it's unlimited information.

"What about my visitation rights?" Lucas asked.

"Mira is OTG gathering supplies for the construction with several other members from the colony she won't be back for another 7 days. I will talk with her. If she wishes to visit you then I will arrange a time" Taylor told him. Lucas nodded while inside he felt one small victory was won.

* * *

TBC~ See you all in a week :-)

* I made mention to a engagement ring but if you want an idea of what it looks like then google '2.00 ct 5-Stone Lucita Style G SI2 Diamond Engagement Ring'* I like to pretend Taylor comes from old money. Ayani's ring just search 'The heart shaped diamond engagement ring setting had fourteen round diamonds. Pavé set as butterflies on the 14k Rose gold band'


	17. Chapter 17

_A/N: Sorry for the late update but I've been studying for exams which are in a week and half. So I figure you all forgive as its two chapters! Big thank you as always for the reviews!Onwards with the story..Enjoy!_

* * *

That afternoon, Malcolm opened the door to his house ready to put on the stew and relax for the afternoon only to be hit with the sounds of giggling girls, the smell of paper, paint and paste along with a roast being cooked. His house looked like it had been hit by a tornado of Paper crafts.

There were paper decorations everywhere: several round lanterns, pinwheels, and even a small pile of random coloured cranes just to name a few. Kate and Maddy were at the coffee table making what looked to be round paper lanterns of all varying sizes and colours while Zoe sat beside Kate folding paper.

He was half tempted to turn around and leave but his escape plans were thwarted when Kate put down the wire frame she was working on and left the coffee table greeting him at the door.

"Hey you" Kate said as she gave him a quick kiss in greeting.

"Hey yourself, what's going on in here? Where's the monkey?" He asked as he gestured to the mess of activity and paper in the room. He couldn't imagine the primate behaving himself with all the activity.

"Monkey is sleeping on the side table by the lounge and this is Crafternoon, remember I called you and asked if it was ok?" Kate said, he remembered her saying she was going to do some art projects since she had some spare time and if he minded her using his place. There had been a lot more to what she had asked but he had only been half listening at the time. His desk was a mess of reports and research proposal that piled up in the past two weeks thus when she called he just agreed so he could get back to work. The clock had hit 2pm when he decided to indulge in a half day with the promise to himself to start early tomorrow.

"Crafternoon?" Malcolm asked as he was pretty sure Kate was speaking another language. He wrapped his arms around Kate's waist anchoring her to him but keeping it PG for Maddy and Zoe's sake.

"Craft afternoon, Crafternoon. We are making wedding decorations for Taylor and Alicia surprise secret wedding in two days. Just keep that a secret ok cause Zoe thinks we are decorating your house." Kate said in a low voice to him so Zoe couldn't hear them but then the little girl was completely engrossed in folding paper.

"What's wrong with my house?" Malcolm asked.

"It's a little nondescript and bland with its white walls" Kate told him in an amused tone.

"I like white walls, don't you?" He asked.

"There are lovely for reselling a place but that's not going to happen. Personally I'd have colours on the walls but we've discussed this before. Now I already have dinner in the oven, don't worry there is tarp covering every surface so there will be no dye paint or paste on the furniture and before you do your block about the paper it's all handmade from recycled paper" Kate informed him.

"Do my block?" he asked.

"Get angry, blow a gasket" Kate supplied.

"I'm not angry just oddly amused as this is the first time my house is looking a little more lived in" He replied tactfully.

"Hmm you should see the spare bedroom then, it looks very lived in. Come on we can used an extra set of hands." Kate told him as she dragged him to the living room area.

"Hi Dr Wallace" Maddy said in greeting before she glued a piece of tissue paper onto the wire frame of the round lantern.

"Maddy, Zoe" Malcolm said.

"Do you like our decorations?" Zoe asked looking up from her work.

"They are beautiful" Malcolm told her as he sat down on the floor next to Kate.

"Want me to teach you how to make a crane? Kate says you have to make a thousand to make a wish but that's gonna take forever" Zoe said dramatically with a roll of her eyes. The others at the table smiled and chuckled at Zoe's comment.

"Hey I made 2000 cranes in 6 weeks missy moo it does not take forever" Kate told Zoe.

"Really?" Malcolm said surprised.

"Yeah, it was a class project in high school. It became a bit of a competition on who could make the most" Kate told him.

"What did you wish for?" Zoe asked. Kate sat back on her feet and thought for a moment as it was a few years back before she remembered.

"I wished for more time with Nanna and a car" Kate told her.

"Did they come true?" Maddy asked.

"Well my Grandpa bought me my first car 6 months after I made the wishes and taught me how to drive. So yeah in a roundabout way they did come true" Kate said.

"What about your Nanna?" Zoe asked.

"Yeah I got to spend heaps of time with her. She and I spent hours together playing piano, cooking and her teaching me how to quilt, knit and how to be a lady etc." Kate replied wistfully as she missed those times, she missed her grandparents a lot they were the really the strongest driving forces in her life. She swallowed as tears stung her eyes she truly missed them; their guidance and company even though her Nanna had passed away six years ago and her Grandpa three years after that, she still felt the ache of the gone. She felt Malcolm squeeze her hand under the table before he turned to Zoe.

"Ok teach me how to make a crane. I think if we work together we can beat Kate's 6 week record and take the title" Malcolm told Zoe in a conspiring tone.

* * *

Lucas paced the floor as he bored out of skull; he had started pacing a lot as it helped his mind to work out the kinks in his problem but today it was to assuage his boredom. It also helped to pass the monotonous hours of pretending to complete the calculations. He knew he had to wait for Mira's return but he needed an innocent diversion to keep the others from realising what he was up to. An idea sparked in his mind, an earlier thought that was now forming into what could be a solution and entertainment. He sat down at the table and picked up a blank sheet of paper and pencil, licking his lips in thought as he racked his brain for the perfect words. He gave a smile to himself as began writing.

After an hour and a few rough drafts that were scrunched up on the floor he read over his words very carefully. He nodded to himself as he read every line of the two pages, satisfied with the words and hopefully the emotions he would evoke from it. He folded up the pages and wrote Kate's name on the outside. He just had to wait for his old man to visit him.

* * *

"Kate won't be home for dinner tonight as she is at Malcolm's again" Alicia said as they were walking back to the Command centre. They had spent the last hour with the Gyulai's residence sharing in stout tea, congratulations and picking out a wedding band for Taylor and having Alicia's left ring finger sized so the rings could be resized. The Hungarian couple were in their late 40's, gifted jewellers who won the lottery for the 3rd pilgrimage and brought their two teenage kids with them. The teenagers had moved out into their own places a couple of years ago. Their English wasn't perfect but they were warm, incredibly friendly and funny people.

The couple promised to keep their lips sealed about the wedding as they understood that Taylor and Alicia wanted a private ceremony without every 'Tom, Dick and Harry' inviting themselves. The wife rolled her eyes at her husband's use of American idioms and said to Taylor that Alicia is the bride. What the bride wants the bride gets. They also regaled them with stories about their wedding and Hungarian wedding traditions they partook in. Alicia was glad and a little envious that she wasn't going to be having a traditional Hungarian wedding.

She could see Guzman, Jim and Kate conspiring together to kidnap her for the 'bride kidnapping', and Jim trying to sell her off for 'bride dances' until Taylor took the pot and stole her away from whomever she was dancing with. It sounded ridiculous but also like a lot of fun. More fun than a hasty exchange of vows and kiss but then it would involve the whole colony and she didn't not want that dog and pony show.

"Malcolm asked Kate to move in with him like a trial period while her place is being finished. He asked her to move in permanently but she said she'd think about it which is Kate's polite way of saying 'no'." Alicia explained.

"Why would she say 'no'?" Taylor asked.

"He doesn't have a bath tub and I think she's not ready for any big commitments yet. She's only 27, Malcolm might be ready to settle down but Kate might not be ready yet. At least that's my assumption you know how Kate is" Alicia said.

"There's nothing wrong with not being ready" Taylor said.

"I agree, so what do you want for dinner?" Alicia asked.

"Stir fry? I'll make it" he said as he couldn't remember whose turn it was to cook.

"Mmm sounds good" Alicia said as she was ready to kick up her heels for the day. "Anything else I can help with for the wedding?"

"I got it covered" Taylor assured her.

"Why do I have a sneaking suspicion you are up to something?" Alicia asked stopping to look at him, she narrowed her eyes sizing him up wondering if his eyes would give him away.

"I'm up to nothing as promised all you'll have to is turn up and everything else is taken care of" he told her. If they weren't in the main square he would have used his body as a distraction now he'd have to change topics.

"Ok, so I assume you are going to see Lucas now?" Alicia asked casually.

"Yes it is about that time" Taylor said.

"Ok, well I'll see you home in a couple of hours" Alicia told him as she headed up the stairs to the Command Centre.

* * *

"I was hoping you might consider giving this letter to Kate" Lucas said to Taylor halfway through their usual meeting. He held out the folded piece of paper to his father who took it from him and pocketed.

"I'll consider it, but now is not the best time. It's too soon" Taylor said, he didn't need any more bad water between him and Kate. She and Alicia were doing their best to be respectful of Lucas's presence but he knew if he pushed Kate, Alicia would get up in arms.

The two were a packaged deal ever since Kate arrived even if Alicia didn't like Kate at first. Taylor also admitted to himself that Kate was like a daughter to him as Alicia said Kate looked to him as if he were the father she always wanted. He felt honoured and proud of the unsaid title in Kate's life as such he was going sacrifice it for Lucas. He had to start drawing lines.

"You can read it" Lucas said so his father knew he had nothing to hide as he saw Taylor's reticence in pocketing the letter.

"I will but I need to know what you did to her" Taylor said.

"Didn't she tell you?"

"She gave me a brief report but I think it's time you admitted what you've done in details. I need to know what I'm walking in on here, explain to me why her forgiveness is so important to you." Taylor said, he wanted to know for his own selfish reasons and he knew that if Lucas told him he would be able to see if Lucas was truly a changed man or putting on an act.

"I-" Lucas started apprehensively. Taylor looked to him and waited patiently. Lucas locked eyes with his father and wondered if it was a test but then the line was not practiced and his Father appeared sincere in his line of thought.

* * *

"Busted" Jim said making Alicia jump. She would have flicked off the video feed but like Jim said she was 'busted' she couldn't cover her tracks.

"Damn it Shannon, when did you learn to be light on your feet?" Alicia asked. Taylor had laid down the gauntlet to Lucas saying it was time for Lucas to confess his crimes if he wanted Taylor to understand and support him. Lucas had stupidly picked it up and was currently putting on the show of his life telling Taylor in gory detail what he did during the Occupation.

"I've always been light on my feet" Jim commented as he watched Lucas tell Taylor in graphic detail, tears in his eyes looking truly ashamed of himself.

"You're about as light on feet as a Brachiosaurus" Alicia told him as they continued to watch.

"Am not" Jim said.

"You keep believing that"

"Ok, why are you spying on your husband to be and his mentally unstable son?" Jim asked innocently in a low voice.

"I'm observing not spying" Alicia said. She told herself that if she knew ahead of time what Lucas told Taylor then she wouldn't be blindsided or entirely shocked when Taylor talked to her about it.

"Does Taylor know you've been watching?" Jim asked, Alicia turned off the feed and covered her tracks in the system.

"No, I'd like to keep it that way" Alicia said to Jim. Jim not wanting to get in between Taylor and Alicia held his hands up in surrender.

"Consider it forgotten but before I forget I just have to say I can't believe Lucas is confessing like that. He has to know it's damaging his 'victim' image" Jim said.

"Lucas has been pushing to talk with Kate, he's even written a letter but Taylor said he needed to know what Lucas had done so he can figure the best way to approach the situation" Alicia said.

"Don't you think it's a little weird that Taylor is eating up all of Lucas's 'I'm a changed man' act?" Jim asked.

"Don't underestimate Taylor. He may appear to be eating it up but that's because he wants it to be real it doesn't mean he really believes it to be true. Let's see how it plays out." Alicia said.

"It makes my stomach churn having him here" Jim said as he moved to a chair and sat down. Alicia joined him at the table.

"I know it's like sitting on a bomb waiting for it to explode." Alicia said with a sigh as she rubbed her face with her hands. She was careful not to smudge her eye makeup. "So how do you like your new position?" Alicia asked changing the topic.

"Can I be demoted?" Jim asked Alicia laughed.

"It's not that bad" she told him.

"Really? I just spent the last hour negotiating property lines in row D. We don't even have fences but apparently there are lines and Mr Sagara's mint plants were planted 30 cm into Mr Fielding's yard. It's a 'disaster' apparently as the plants can't be moved and Mr Fielding can't handle the offending herb in his yard" Jim said shaking his head at the idiocy of it all.

"Did it all work out in the end?" Alicia asked in a sarcastic tone as she really didn't care.

"Yes, the mint plant stays until it's mature enough to be moved" Jim answered.

"Ah civilian disputes, I don't miss it. My life is rather peaceful now all have is the Military contingent to look after. They are grateful for 3 hot meals and a cot" Alicia said rubbing it in that soldiers were easier to handle.

"Military life, you learn to live with what you got" Jim said.

"You sound like Haynes, next you'll be saying that considering we are use to substandard living conditions we can remain in such standards until the civilian's needs are met" Alicia scoffed.

"Hell no, you guys protect the Colony. You need all the food, beauty sleep and proper housing we can provide. If Maddy and Mark got hitched I'd want my daughter living in a house. Doesn't have to be big but you know it would be better than being shacked up in the barracks" Jim said in amused tone.

"You mean 'when' they get hitched you'd hope Reynolds was smart enough to request proper housing so he doesn't have to move in with you" Alicia said. Jim made a face at 'when' and the notion of Reynolds moving in.

"Let's move onto another topic. I don't like thinking about my daughter getting married at 17. She should wait until she's 40, that's a good age to settle down" Jim said. Alicia burst out laughing and shook her head. "What?"

"You're what? 45? And have three kids like you can talk about marrying young" Alicia told him.

"I'm barely 40 thank you and speaking of kids, I gotta go pick up Maddy and Zoe from Malcolm's" Jim said.

"You trust Malcolm with your kids?" Alicia asked in a joking manner.

"I'm pretty sure Malcolm wouldn't know what to do with a kid let alone mine. Kate is there, they are apparently having a 'crafternoon'. Kate really needs to get back to work" Jim surmised.

"She said 'yes' to being your deputy. Put her to work yourself" Alicia said.

* * *

Later that evening,

"Mmm this so good" Alicia said as she took another bite of her second serving of dinner. Taylor watched her eat , he had stopped at his first serving. He found his appetite lacking from his talk with Lucas. To know his own flesh and blood was so completely twisted and not the least ashamed in his actions made him ill. It made him question where he and Ayani went so wrong.

"You've been quiet all evening. Something on your mind?" Alicia asked as she noticed Taylor staring at her. He had been rather subdued since meeting with Lucas.

"Lucas gave me a letter to give to Kate" Taylor told her, he pursed his lips as he knew the letter was meaningless as the sentiment of the words were false.

"He's still pushing to talk to Kate" Alicia said before taking another bite.

"Yes, Lucas confessed to me what he did during the occupation. What he did to Kate to get intel, it's not unusual for enhanced interrogation techniques to be employed but Lucas is not a trained interrogator." Taylor said lost in his thoughts and remembering how Lucas was unaware that he smiled just a little smug smile while he spoke in detail about how he felt 'haunted' and could still hear the screaming, smell the blood and burnt flesh. How that smug smile gave him away and contradicted his 'shame' and tearful expression especially as Lucas didn't spare any detail. It was like Lucas enjoyed reminiscing. When he should have been guilty, sickened to his stomach.

It wasn't like Taylor hadn't heard or observed such sessions before but hearing and seeing his son secretly enjoy himself as he regaled him thinking Taylor was on his side, that he believed him for being a man who wanted contrition made Taylor sick. It made him sick that for many days he truly believed his son had changed but no. His son was playing him a fool, yet again.

Taylor didn't hide the disappointment but also accepted the information without showing any other emotions. He knew if Lucas knew the game was up things would turn ugly. Kate was right when she said he didn't want nor need to know. Now that he did, he understood more clearly how Kate felt and why Alicia was so protective of her.

"I understand now why you've taken such an aggressive stance about keeping Kate away from Lucas and why Kate has been rather quiet on the subject" Taylor said.

"Kate has unresolved issues not about Lucas but about herself and dying" Alicia told him, putting her two cents in on what she believed to be Kate's hang up.

"I doubt that, she's trained to believe every mission is her last. That's she dead before she leaves the safe zone" Taylor argued, it was a mentality a lot of commanders instilled into their soldier's minds before they left the barracks. Not a mentality Taylor agreed with or used. In his mind Soldiers needed a reason to return, a reason to fight.

"Yet you and I both know from experience. There is a big difference between knowing you might die on a mission and going through the actual motions of dying and being revived. Along with the months it takes to heal physically and emotionally" Alicia countered.

She still remembered her brush with death in Somalia she remembered the bullets burning through her and the blood draining out of her. She shook the memories away from her head as it had taken many months of recovery and rehabilitation to get back into shape physically. Emotionally took a little longer but the experience stuck with her.

"You're right. I'm just at a loss as to what to do next" Taylor said. It was rare for him not to know what to do or even have a rough idea.

"Have you read the letter?" Alicia asked as she ate the last of her dinner.

"Yes, it's garbage" Taylor said tossing the letter to Alicia. She looked surprised at his choice of words as she wiped her mouth with a napkin before she picked up the letter. He watched as she read the letter, she kept her poker face on not giving Taylor any signs of what she thought.

"It reads sincere, honest-"

"It's too perfect, well thought out. If only the sentiment was real" Taylor said bitterly.

"What happened today? You've been solely in the 'let's save Lucas' boat for a while" Alicia said surprised by his anger and his change of heart. But inwardly glad that Taylor had finally gotten his head straight even if it caused him heart ache.

"When he was telling me about Kate, he was smiling and his eyes... they contradicted what he was telling me he felt. He wasn't aware of it but the more detail he went into he seemed to forget he was supposed to be acting guilty and ashamed. I don't recognise him, how could I raise a monster like him" he said shaking his head.

"Nathaniel"

"Don't start Wash"

"Don't start? I'm sick of repeating myself. Who Lucas is now is not a reflection of you, Ayani, your parenting skills or his upbringing. That's all I'm going to say because we have had this discussion before. What remains now is what you want to do with him." Alicia told him taking a pragmatic manner. She had many suggestions but none that Taylor would agree to.

"I don't know, I do know he's angling for something, I just don't know what he has to gain from Kate" Taylor said.

"Then you should talk to Kate but a word of advice: tread carefully it's not an easy topic to discuss with her" Alicia warned him.

"I'll take that under consideration. Now tell me what you want to do about our honeymoon?" Taylor said as he wanted a change of topic.

"I believe I already answered this one" Alicia said with a salacious smile.

"Putting up a 'Do Not Disturb' sign, blocking and locking off all entry points to the house is not going to work for a week" Taylor said chuckling as Alicia suggested as much with a fridge stocked and not leaving bed unless they were hungry.

"Three days then?" Alicia bargained. Since Taylor refused to let her outside of the gates and there were no hotels or holiday destinations in the Colony limited their options so all that left was their house. It was perfect for Alicia as she didn't mind the idea of kicking her heels up and relaxing for a few days without being disturbed.

* * *

Late at night at Malcolm's,

"So Taylor has you running around organising his wedding that's the day after tomorrow" Malcolm said as he and Kate were finishing up the lanterns so they could dry over night and be painted tomorrow. Malcolm would have preferred to be spending their current time in bed wrapped up in Kate's body but apparently he had no such luck until they finished the lanterns which seemed to be a never ending task.

Jim had collected Zoe and Maddy at around 4 and hung around being impressed by Zoe's origami skills before they left the two of them alone. They had dinner before moving back to the coffee table with tea to continue their work. Malcolm discussed his day and vice versa as Kate told him all about Elisabeth's wedding crazed brain coming to the rescue as Kate only knew what to wear and how to get drunk at weddings and not how to plan or create said event.

"Yup, well not just me. The Shannons and you are helping me a lot." Kate said as she finished making the last wire frame. Her hands were sore from all the fiddly work.

"What is Taylor doing?" Malcolm asked.

"Umm he's doing the vows, the rings and basically running interference with Alicia. Elisabeth and I have the dresses, half of the decorations are complete, and Flowers have been ordered. Elisabeth and Maddy are making the Cake and organising the food for the 'reception', I have to tune the piano-"

"Piano?" Malcolm said, he didn't know Terra Nova had one let alone that Kate could play.

"Yeah the one in the chapel. I need you to take the monkey" Kate said.

"Why?"

"He went nuts from the noise the piano made, tried to pull a key off the piano." Kate chuckled from the memory "I doubt he's going to behave while I tune and-"

"You play?" he asked cutting her off again.

"Yes" Kate said apprehensively.

"You never told me you could play"

"You never asked" Kate said

"Are you any good?" He asked a lovely blush graced Kate's cheeks a telling sign to Malcolm that she was obviously good just too modest and embarrassed to say so straight up.

"Depends on your definition of 'good' now doesn't it?" Kate asked tongue in cheek.

"May I be allowed to hear you play?" he asked changing his question.

"Sure, I'll be tuning the piano in the morning if you want you can drop be and listen to my less than stellar musical skills" Kate said.

"So just like your cooking skills, only passable?" Malcolm asked, Kate looked at him with a shocked expression.

"Passable? My cooking skills are more than passable it's the weird dino meat. I'm used to cooking cows, lambs, fish, kangaroos, and the odd wallaby" Kate told him. The roast meat had come out black and smoking but under the carbon the meat was luckily tender and juicy.

"You have eaten half of your coat of arms?" Malcolm asked in disbelief.

"I've eaten emu too. It's just that harder to get at supermarket" Kate told him. Malcolm looked at her like she had grown a second head. "What? It is high in iron, low in cholesterol and in fat. It's very healthy not to mention tasty" Kate told him.

"I'm just shocked at your carnivorous ways. Your own country's coat of arms" he said shaking his head in mock admonishment.

"So what's for dessert?" Kate asked.

"Dessert? It's nearly Midnight" he told her.

"What?" Kate said, she picked up her comm. unit off the coffee table and groaned as he was right or at least close as it was about 11:45pm. She put her head down on the table for a moment to muster her energy to finish the last Lantern.

"There is raspberry sorbet in the freezer" he reminded her. Kate shook her head as she really wanted to go to bed than eat sorbet.

"No, I'd rather go to bed" She said voicing her desire as she starting covering the last lantern.

"I like the sound of that" he said with a smirk.

"To sleep" she clarified.

"I know, I'm not a fan of crafts. It's rather messy" he commented as he held up his hands that were covered in glue and bits of paper.

"But the end result is worth it" Kate told him.

"Ok but what are we going to do with all the lanterns and decorations after the wedding?" he asked.

"Lanterns can be party favours and the rest of the decorations can be donated to the Chapel or put into storage for a festival or social event?" Kate offered with a shrug as she hadn't given it a lot of thought. She looked to Malcolm and smiled.

"Thank you for helping me" She said.

"Anytime" he said.

"All this wedding stuff has me thinking" Kate said making conversation as she really wanted to finish the last Lantern before going to bed.

"About-"He had started to about the ring and his lack of proposal but she cut him off.

"Thinking about what I want out of life" She clarified.

"Uh Oh that's like saying let's talk. Is this the kiss of death? you've found another man? I heard it was Boylan" Malcolm said mockingly, Kate laughed for a moment before becoming serious.

"Boylan is my back up." Kate informed him, he laughed before she continued "I want you for the long haul Dr Wallace, I want us to move into my house when it's completed as it has four bedrooms and two bathrooms; one with a bath tub." Kate said.

"What's wrong with here?" Malcolm asked.

"Nothing's wrong with it. It's just that I want 3 kids and I want them all have their own bedrooms" Kate said Malcolm looked at her surprised.

"3?" Malcolm asked his eyes going wide at the thought. He wanted kids but then he barely knew what to do with one child let alone three but then Jim was forever making jokes that once Malcolm had one of his own then he'd know what to do. He was also surprised that Kate was telling him this. They had discussed what they wanted for the future but not like this where definite plans were being laid down.

"I'm talking about the future here not tomorrow or next week. Just what I want to happen in preferably the next 3 to 5 years" Kate told him in a slightly defensive manner as he looked at little daunted at the thought of having three kids.

"Ok" he said a smile gracing his lips as she was looking incredibly uncomfortable and embarrassed about telling him this. His heart warmed at how Kate was opening up to him. It was a huge step for her as she was not always good as saying what she wanted when it came to serious subjects like her future.

"I also don't want white walls" Kate added, Malcolm laughed at the comment.

"I'm fine with that, just no red walls inside" He said in amusement as she had put a lot of thought into this for the last 12 hours or less. Kate relaxed somewhat as he wasn't saying 'no, get out my house' or balking as much at the idea.

"I'm being serious" Kate told him.

"So am I, especially about the red walls"

"Malcolm!"

"Ok I'll be serious" He said, Kate shot him a look as if to say she doubted he was capable of such a thing at this time. "You already know how I feel. I love you and I can definitely warm up to the idea of three children over the next 3 to 5 years" he said with a smile at the time constraints she had placed on it. "I want kids I just always thought I'd have two. Old 2149 population control. But I wouldn't mind two or three little redheaded girls just like you running around" he said with a smile enjoying the idea.

"Ha they would be little terrors if they are anything like me" Kate scoffed.

"Don't worry genes will calm their general disposition and with our combined IQ's they'll be little geniuses" Malcolm said getting a little excited at the thought of their future children.

"Great, I'll be surrounded by nerds" Kate said like it was a bad thing but Malcolm knew she was only joking.

"You are a nerd yourself" He informed her.

"I'm so not a nerd" Kate said.

"Really? Miss I have Masters with honours who loves Science Fiction not to mention all the other credentials and skills you have from copious amount of studying and practice" He reminded her.

"Fine, I'm a nerd but not a professional nerd like you" Kate said poking her tongue out at him. Malcolm laughed.

"Anyway I accept your terms" Malcolm told her as he knew that the serious aspects of the conversation needed to be resolved and he wanted Kate to know he was right with her.

"This isn't a hostage negotiation" Kate said chuckling as continued to wrap paper mache on the wire frame of the lantern that was ¾ covered. Malcolm chuckled as he started to clean up the table while Kate finished up the last of the lantern she was working on.

"I'm agreeing with you that I want the same things, though we'll start with moving in and living together properly and then we'll get married before we have kids" Malcolm said.

"I still want three kids" Kate said making sure he was clear on what she wanted.

"You are very adamant about that number" he said as he moved to the kitchen to wash up the last container of glue.

"I am and after having two you'll want a third" Kate said as she finished covering the lantern.

"Ok is there anything else on your mind that I should know about?" he asked from the sink.

"Not at the moment" Kate said with a yawn as she got to her feet holding her glue covered hands away from her joined him in the kitchen.

"If there is anything else you let me know but for now I think we should call it a night" Malcolm said leaning a hip against the sink allowing her access to the tap to wash her hands.

"No Shower first" Kate said cheekily as she wiped glue onto his cheek to emphasise the need for a shower. She laughed as Malcolm shot her an unimpressed look for her cheeky manoeuvre.

"Nice" Malcolm told her as he grabbed her by the wrists before she got tempted to wipe her glue covered hands on his clothes and kissed her the way he had wanted to do since arriving home that afternoon. He started off with a long sensuous kiss melting her defences, she closed the gap between them and pressed her body against his. Malcolm wanted her in every sense and he knew she wanted him just as equally. He released her wrists not caring about the glue as she wrapped her around his neck. He pulled her tighter into his body and kissed her harder, deeper.

The power of her answering passion took his breath away. He kissed her again and again, trying desperately to get even closer, to fill his senses with her, to have more, more. He reached for her shirt, yanking the tails up and out of the top of her pants. He found the softness of her skin and moaned at the smooth sensation beneath his fingertips.

And still they kissed. It was wild, incredible, amazing. He couldn't get enough, would never get enough. Her hands were in his hair, on his back, on the curve of his rear end, pulling him closer to her. He broke the kiss and looked down at her, she was punch drunk from the passionate exchange and he was just as affected.

"I want to make love to you" He said softly touching the side of her face and hair with one hand as he caught his breath. It was a statement of intent, not a question like he was asking permission but he waited for her to give him a signal.

"What are you waiting for a written invitation?" Kate asked with a smile.


	18. Chapter 18

*A/N: I've tuned a guitar but never tuned a piano in my life so allow for literary licence in this chapter! Also I had Brooke Fraser 'Arithmetic' in my head the whole time for this chapter.. you'll see why hopefully lol!

* * *

The next morning,

"Ah bugger, sorry Chaplin" Kate said wincing as she snapped another piano wire and because she swore. She remembered why she didn't go to a house of worship besides the fact she had no religion. She felt like every curse word was like some higher being such as God might smite her for using foul language in his place of worship. The Chaplin laughed and shook his head as he watched her tune the piano.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I've heard worse? Trust me I've spent 30 years in the military I'm sure I know more foul language than you" The Chaplin said. Kate smiled as she tuned another string. So far she had tune ¾ of the piano and only snapped two wires. Luckily the Chaplin had a whole pile of wires to keep the piano going for a long while. Kate tapped the key again and listened to the note being sounded, satisfied with the sound she moved to the next one. She had been tuning the piano for the last hour.

She was amazed that Terra Nova had a piano but the Chaplin had explained that it hadn't been on the list of necessities but the chapel goers had put their terras together and gave it to Boylan to get the piano through the portal. Then miraculously some clerical error happened on the requisition forms and the piano was sent through with one of the biyearly portal drop of supplies along with the last pieces of the original terminus.

"It won't stop me, I feel weird in here" Kate said.

"Not a woman of faith?" he asked.

"I'm agnostic" Kate told him, she liked the Chaplin he was easy going and didn't seem to judge her for her lack of religion.

"Lazy man's atheism" Taylor said as he walked up the main aisle of the small Chapel.

"Commander, it's a fine morning don't you think?" Chaplin asked.

"Definitely is" Taylor agreed, he looked around the light and airy Chapel that easily seated 200 people.

He noted the lack of windows with the frames still in. The glass had blown out from during the early attack of the Colony. Considering the chapel had large windows they were low on the list of repairs as they had to manufacture new windows. It took time and a lot resources and Taylor decided the new windows would be triple glazed for extra strength and better insulation.

"You here for a progress report?" Kate asked.

"No but why don't you give me one to save time" Taylor said.

"Everything is right on schedule…" Kate started, she went into detail about the wedding cake, flowers arrangements and decorations just as his eyes glazed over from all the talk she stopped and changed topic "I'll be finished with the piano in half an hour so you got nothing to worry about" Kate finished.

"Thank you, I appreciate all the hard work" Taylor told her.

"You're welcome. So tell me what really brings you here" Kate said, Taylor noted the glow of her smile and how even though she had dark circles under her eyes from fatigue she was still happy.

"We need to talk about you becoming Deputy" Taylor said lying about his real purpose. He had meant to bring up Lucas but just couldn't bring himself to do so. Kate cursed as she snapped another wire in the piano. He watched as she removed the broken wire from the piano.

"I said a tentative 'yes'. Malcolm and I discussed it and while he's not ok with me in the role he won't stop me from doing what I want though he put some stipulations" Kate said with a wry smile as she could still remember their conversation this morning in the afterglow of making love.

"What kind of stipulations?" Taylor asked.

"That I only do it part time and that we have a gun safe in the house for me to store my gun when I'm off the clock" Kate said off handily as she strung up the piano wire "I know everything Kate" he emphasised. Kate looked up at him.

"All reasonable requests, you'll have to sign some contracts and pass a medical exam for it all to be finalised" Taylor told her.

"Yeah I don't think I'm going to pass the medical exam" Kate said with a grimace.

"You're worried about the fatigue" he said.

"Yeah, it's wrecking my life. I sleep 8 hours and I wake up feeling like I haven't gone to bed at all. It's hard" Kate said rubbing a hand over her eyes and forehead.

"Doc said it would take you a while to recover and there's no need to rush yourself the job isn't going anywhere" Taylor assured her as he knew she worked herself up worrying about not being productive and contributing enough when she was the last person he'd call lazy.

"I know, so anyway I found a song that I will be playing for Alicia to walk down the aisle to" Kate said as she picked up the plex she was using to help her tune the piano with and brought up the song for Taylor to look at. "What do you think?" Kate asked.

"I think that I don't read music sheets" Taylor told her in an amused tone as he read the title 'Arithmetic' it didn't sound romantic or wedding related at all. Kate pressed the play button on the plex.

* * *

Later that morning,

Malcolm walked into the Chapel to see where Kate was up to in tuning the piano. He had received her message saying she was having lunch with Alicia and she would see him at dinner but he couldn't resist as he was curious to hear her play. He had heard the music coming from the Chapel and was in disbelief that it was Kate but when he entered there she was seated at the piano playing a sad yet beautiful melody of Sibelius 'Valse Triste (_Sad Waltz_), Op. 44, No. 1'.

He sat at the back of the Chapel in the last row of pews watching her. He was a fan of old classical music he never thought Kate was one as she opted towards 1950's jazz lounge music more than any other genre of music.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Chaplin said as he sat down next to Malcolm.

"Yes" Malcolm said his eyes not leaving her. "She said she could play but I didn't know she was this talented." he added.

"I was doubtful for the first hour or so myself" The Chaplin said with a smile.

"How long has she been playing?" Malcolm asked.

"About 3 hours. Different melodies but all of them have the same mood. I hope she knows something a little cheerier for the special day" He mused in good humour.

"Only way to find out is to ask" Malcolm said as he rose from his seat, he would have enjoyed listening to her play longer but if she had a lunch to go to.

* * *

"Do you take requests?" Malcolm asked, Kate stopped playing at his voice and looked up at him. She gave a smile as he looked over the back of the upright piano resting his chin on his hands.

"Depends on if I know the song or composer" Kate answered.

"Chaplin is wondering what you will play at the wedding"

"Well it won't be Cannon in D or 'here comes the bride'… I was thinking maybe Ave Maria but Taylor has given what he wants me to play. Luckily it's very easy to play" Kate said as she played a few bars of the Taylor's choice. Malcolm smiled as it was a beautiful piece of music.

"You play beautifully" he told Kate, she blushed at the compliment but still made a face.

"Thank you but I need more practice. My playing is rough but I'm sure it will do for the day since the Chapel has no electricity or a sound system for music. Can't have the bride walking up with no music" Kate said as she stopped playing and stretched her fingers.

"I thought I'd let you know it's nearly 12 and because I wanted to hear you play" he told her.

"Thank you for letting me know the time" Kate said.

"You miss playing?" he asked.

"No, my Nan taught me. It was one of the many things we did together, 2 hours everyday every afternoon for years. When she passed I tried playing but I just didn't enjoy it as much, it didn't feel right. Still doesn't" Kate said wistfully as she closed the lid on the piano keys. Silence lapsed between them for a moment as Malcolm wasn't sure what to say to her so instead he changed topic.

"Let's go for a walk, you can pick up the Monkey he missed you terribly" Malcolm said as he held out his hand to her.

"Really?" Kate asked in amusement as she took his hand and stood up with him.

"Yes, he looked quite forlorn at your absence and has been moping in his cage." Malcolm said as they walked out of the Chapel.

"I feel bad for locking him up but he's really clingy after the coffee spill. Tell me Haynes didn't see him" Kate said as she interlaced her fingers with his as they walked.

"Haynes did not see him, I put him in my office with the door closed" Malcolm assured her.

"Good" Kate said not hiding her approval.

"You should really give him a name" Malcolm said.

"What's wrong with calling him Monkey? I like it. It's simple, easy to remember because he looks like one" Kate said in good humour. Malcolm shook his head at her. He didn't have the heart to correct her.

"So I was thinking grilled fish, vegetables and rice for dinner" he said changing the topic.

"Mmm with Miso soup?" Kate asked.

"Yes with Miso soup. I swear you have the weirdest food addictions" Malcolm told her.

"What's wrong with rice and miso soup?" Kate asked.

"It's worrisome when you eat the paste with a spoon like its ice cream" he told her.

"But it's sooo good" Kate murmured in a delicious tone.

"Not that good" he said.

* * *

"So Taylor has been really secretive about the wedding plans. I'm worried he's up to something. You're my maid of honour as such you have to pander to my every whim. I want you to use your super sneaky soldier skills and figure it out" Alicia ordered as she drank some of her peppermint tea. She and Kate had met at Taylor's house and eaten Lunch and were now indulging in some tea before Alicia had to go back on duty.

"Can't you just sex it out of him" Kate said.

"Sex it out of him" Alicia repeated her in a dry tone at Kate's terrible use of the English language.

"Sorry use your feminine wiles and make him talk" Kate corrected as she wriggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"I'm struggling to feel sexy when I feel nauseous and tired most of the time." Alicia told her, she didn't want to admit that she and Taylor were already having a lot sex and that using it to pry information out of him would not work.

"Then take anti-nausea meds and lie on the bed in a seductive manner and call him to bed" Kate said tongue in cheek.

"Is that what you do with Malcolm?"

"Yes I even do a little strip show and throw my knickers at him but they usually hit him in the face as his too distracted to catch them" Kate said mockingly. Alicia laughed at Kate's tone and expression even if she didn't understand the reference before Kate's straight face cracked and she too laughed.

"Hmm maybe I should do that for his birthday. Isn't that what women in relationships do for their man?" Kate asked.

"Why are you asking me?"

"You've been in a relationship longer than me. I'm sure you got some tricks you could share with me. things that drive Taylor up the wall that I can use on Malcolm" Kate said.

"I'm not sharing my tricks"

"Don't be such a prude, it doesn't suit you."

"It's private"

"Private? I caught you and Taylor naked doing the dirty on the kitchen counter and the lounge room which I hope you disinfected after your fun"

"You were supposed to be out for another hour and the other time at work" Alicia told her, a rare blush gracing her cheeks.

"The things I saw and heard are forever burned in my memory" Kate said with a smile trying not to laugh as Alicia went a deeper shade of red.

"You act like it's the first time you've seen two people have sex"

"No, it wasn't the first time but I was definitely surprised, Taylor is in amazing shape and must be one hell of a shag as I didn't know you could be so vocal and I have to say Taylor's birthmark on his-"

"Stop talking" Alicia said cutting Kate off before she could finish that sentence but Kate just smiled and laughed not heeding her words.

"What? I was going to-" Kate started innocently.

"Can you not? I like my sex life to be private. Hence why we do it behind closed doors and not in the main square" Alicia told her tartly as Kate laughed some more.

"Ok I'll stop teasing you" Kate said once she stopped laughing.

"So you going to tell me what Taylor is up to?" Alicia asked.

"Look all he told me was a time to show up. Though the question I should as is do I dress up or just go as I am on the day?" Kate asked.

"I'd love to wear a dress but buying one would be difficult as I'm always wearing my BDU's rumours will start flying and I don't want that" Alicia said wistfully.

"Ok what if I bought the dress under the guise that I'm buying a dress for tomorrow night?" Kate asked.

"So the rumours are true. You're really going to propose to Malcolm?" Alicia asked.

"Not tomorrow but I've already organised a special dinner for us tomorrow night to celebrate our being back together etc. so I have the perfect excuse" Kate said with a shrug.

"Let's do it tomorrow lunch"

"This lunch business is becoming a thing" Kate said with a smile.

* * *

The next morning,

"Kate, wake up" Malcolm murmured as he kissed her neck. They had slept through the alarm and it was currently 6:45 am, Malcolm had enjoyed waking up with Kate wrapped around him sleeping soundly. He had helped her with stringing decorations and doing final touches until they finished at 1am. He had wanted to let her sleep in but she had a long day including a yoga session with Maddy and Alicia to go to in 15 minutes. His attempts to wake her so far had failed as she just shifted in her sleep moving herself up from his chest so they were face to face.

"Mmm two more minutes" She told him in a sleepy voice, she hadn't even opened her eyes.

"You're usually the first one out of bed" He murmured in good humour but also concerned that she was not feeling well as she was running a temperature.

"So tired" Kate mumbled sleepily as she wrapped her arms around his neck and threw a leg over his hips pulling him tighter to her body. She made a sexy chuckle as she felt his morning arousal pressing against her belly. She kissed him good morning and opened her eyes.

"Hi" she whispered with a sleepy smile.

"Hi, you need to get up" he told her running a hand down her flank to her ass, he pulled her closer making them both moan from the intimate contact. Kate bit her bottom lip and shook her head.

"Mmm no I want to stay here" Kate whined playfully as she started kissing him again. Just soft gentle kisses.

"I will make love to you if you keep teasing me like this." He warned her.

"I like the sound of that" Kate said between kisses, Malcolm groaned as Kate had just given him the green light. Her comm. unit beeped and Kate groaned as she didn't want to move. "Can you get that and tell them I'm busy" Kate said, Malcolm rolled them so she on her back and him above. He reached over her and grabbed the comm. unit.

"It's a message from Alicia reminding you she is walking over in ten minutes to go to the Shannon's. You want me to reply?" Malcolm asked.

"Please, just say 'Copy that'" Kate told him as she looked up at him as he typed the reply. She was exhausted to her bones, she didn't know where she was going to get the energy for the rest of the day. _Trust me to be bone tired on the one day I need my energy_ Kate thought inwardly annoyed at herself. He sent the message and placed the comm. unit back on the bedside table.

"You feeling ok? You have a slight temperature" He asked her.

"You want to take my temperature Doctor?" she teased as she wriggled her hips in a suggestive manner. Malcolm half groaned and laughed as he shook his head at her.

"That is the worst line you've given me to date. You must be coming down with something. I daren't ask what you'll say next" He said as he moved back to his side and looked at her waiting for a proper answer. Kate gave a reluctant sigh.

"A little warm and exhausted but otherwise I feel fine. I just need a strong dose of green tea" She reassured him.

"I'll help you today"

"No, you got work I couldn't-"

"I'm my own boss which means I can dictate my own hours. I've helped you thus far I don't see the harm in taking a day off work to help finish this" Malcolm told her.

"Ok I'm not going to argue, Elisabeth was supposed to help me but she has to remove someone's appendix this morning. So Jim is going to help me with the flower arrangements. Between Me, Jim and the Chaplin we should get it all covered in a few hours" Kate said vainly trying to rub the fatigue from her person.

"Jim and flower arrangements?" Malcolm said trying not to laugh.

"Yes, I don't see what's so amusing though" Kate said raising an eyebrow at him to explain his amusement.

"This I have to see, come on let's get you that cup of green tea and ready for yoga" He told her.

"What about the morning sex?" Kate asked.

"You need your energy today, sex can wait" He told her as he pulled her out of bed.

"Sex can wait? Who are you? And what did you do with Malcolm I know?" Kate asked.

* * *

"You're look like you rolled out of bed, you feeling ok?" Alicia asked as a half asleep Kate was stumbled out of Malcolm's house with a cup of tea in hand. Malcolm had been pretty cheerful when he offered a cup to Alicia through the door. She declined as she didn't like to ingest liquids or food before Yoga it made her nauseous while stretching not to mention the high caffeine content.

"I did" Kate said as she sipped her cup of tea, she was wearing a olive green off the shoulder jumper and black short shorts as she walked barefoot along the gravel. Alicia knew Kate had to still be asleep as she was walking with a slightly dazed expression instead of cursing the gravel that was painful to walk on even with calloused feet. Her hair didn't look like it had met the brush either.

"You know we can always do this in the afternoons, if you can't hack all night sex sessions with Malcolm and yoga early in the morning" Alicia teased.

"Nah I can handle it" Kate said before she took a sip of her tea. Alicia laughed as she caught Kate by the arm and pulled her sleepy friend next to her as the woman couldn't even walk in a straight line. "Hey can you help me set up the house at lunch today for my special dinner with Malcolm?" Kate asked.

"Sure, and I've decided we need to get dresses tomorrow before the ceremony" Alicia said.

"Ok. Hey, you know what I miss from the future?"

"Chocolate?"

"Mmm yeah I'm so desperate for Chocolate that I think I'd lick it off Boylan's chest if that was the only way I'd get some" Kate said, Alicia pulled a face of disgust and shook her head.

"Uh, you just made me wish I had taken my anti nausea meds before coming today" Alicia said, she had decided since she woke up feeling good that she'd tempt the fates and here she was with bad mental images of Kate licking Boylan's chest and the man enjoying the attention.

"But I was going to say I miss lingerie shops like Victoria's secret but then lingerie's just an tantalising obstacle course for men but I do miss the feel of sexy lace and soft satin against my skin" Kate commented wistfully as the tea was finally perking her up. Alicia chuckled at Kate as she talked like she was missing an old friend.

"So what are you making for this 'special' dinner?" Alicia asked changing the topic.

"Gallosaur leg roast with lemon and mint seasoning, eggplant surprise and roast vegetables" Kate said.

"Mmm Eggplant surprise lucky man" Alicia said with a smile. Kate had taught her the recipe and was a definite favourite in the Taylor household even if it was a labour intensive side dish.

"Yeah he better be grateful, it's a bitch to make" Kate said Alicia laughed as they had reached their destination.

* * *

Later that morning at the Chapel,

"How about that?" Jim asked as he, the Chaplin and Malcolm stepped back to look at the bouquet that would be Alicia's to hold as she walked down the aisle. The three men had been left in charge of finishing the last of the flower arrangement which was an easy task that involved copying Kate's easy design and attaching them to the end of the pews to frame the aisle while Kate who was getting some much needed rest.

She was having a nap on one of the pews as her brain and body was fried from doing too much in the last couple of days. He was amazed she could sleep at all considering the amount of caffeine in her system. She spent the morning after a ten minute nap after breakfast at the Shannon's running around like a two year old on a sugar high. They finished the Shannon's backyard and then halfway through decorating the chapel she had fainted, luckily the Chaplin had caught her before she did any serious damage to herself. They made her sit down after that and hydrate before she decided she needed to sleep for a bit.

The three men continued decorating the chapel and finished everything except Alicia's bouquet. Then they would be done with 3 hours to spare before the ceremony. They figured how hard could it be as they had been playing with flowers for the past hour or so. Just toss a bunch together and tie string around the base or at least that's how Jim sold the suggestion. They agreed as it allowed Kate could sleep a little longer.

"It's a good start" the Chaplin said diplomatically, though it was a blatant lie. Jim's bouquet was just a whole bunch of flowers plonked together.

"I think you missed the part that this was about arranging flowers" Malcolm commented dryly as he looked unimpressed.

"Ok then why don't you try" Jim told him. Malcolm stepped up to the challenge and 10 minutes later produced a beautiful bouquet with a mixture of soft orange, yellow and white flowers tied with string.

"How about that?" Malcolm asked.

"Beautiful, Dr Wallace" The Chaplin said impressed.

"Does Kate ever feel defeminised by you?" Jim asked in good humour.

"Far from it" Malcolm told Jim smugly.

"Let's see chapel: decorated and ready, Reception: also decorated and ready to go and Zoe has a mountain of petals to throw…" Jim listed off everything until he got to the end and smiled. "I think it's all ready we all just have to go to our respective homes and make ourselves pretty and come back"

"I'll inform the Commander that everything is good to go. Nice work gentlemen" The Chaplin said before leaving them. Malcolm turned to Jim and they both exchanged an uneasy look at the compliment.

"Do you have a suit jacket?" Malcolm asked Jim who gave him an odd look at the question which Malcolm took to be a 'no'. "Ok I'll bring my navy jacket for you to wear. Might be a tight fit but it will only be needed for the ceremony" Malcolm added.

"Ok, well I'll leave you to wake up sleeping beauty and meet you back in 2 and half hours to double check everything is ready to go" Jim said with a smile, Malcolm nodded watching Jim leave.

* * *

Alicia rocked up at Malcolm's house and knocked on the door, she had spent the better part of the morning following Taylor to see what he was up to as the wedding was tomorrow yet he just went along business as usual with the exception of seeing Lucas in the morning. It was the only thing that made her wonder what he was doing in the afternoon as that was when he usually met with Lucas. The front door opened and Alicia looked to Kate with surprise.

"Wow you are really going all out for Malcolm" Alicia commented as Kate pulled her into Malcolm's house. She couldn't help but notice how Kate's hair red hair had been curled and pulled away from her face in a very messy chignon. The curls suited her as she had a few tendrils frame her face and she was wearing makeup, it all looked natural with the exception of the smoky eye shadow that accentuated the colour of her grey eyes.

"You have to get ready" Kate said a little too energetically compared to when Alicia left her at the Shannon's after breakfast. The redhead had been asleep on the lounge when she left. Alicia waved to Maddy and Elisabeth who were equally looking just as done up as Kate. She suddenly felt like she was being left outside of a very important loop.

"I didn't realise I was invited" Alicia said confused.

"I lied about the special dinner, it's your wedding day! well afternoon! Surprise! Now go have a quick shower and put on this top, come back to the lounge room" Kate said as she held out a very loose grey jersey singlet with spaghetti straps, Alicia had seen Kate wear before, it didn't flatter her figure as it hid all her natural curves but Kate said it was for comfort not aesthetics.

"Wedding is tomorrow night" Alicia stated confused as she took the top and allowed Kate to push her to the bathroom.

"Not anymore hence the surprise that it's today in 2 hours. Taylor organised it all. Now I have prepared lunch to eat while your hair is being done and then you can brush your pearly whites before make up" Kate told her as she pushed her towards the bathroom. "Don't worry I brought all your toiletries here this morning and they will be taken back to your home after you have washed up a bit. Now go shower and wash your hair" Kate said giving Alicia the final push into the bathroom and closing the door.

* * *

An hour and half later,

"Très belle, Taylor won't know what hit him. We should have more girl time like this" Kate said as sat to the side watching Maddy and Elisabeth did all the touches of natural makeup and her hair. Alicia looked extremely uncomfortable from all the attention but sat still and allowed the Shannon women to do their work.

"So I assume there are more surprises?" Alicia asked as Maddy and Elisabeth packed up the hair dryer and brushes.

"Heaps, prepared to be blown away!"Kate said exuberantly, enjoying herself entirely too much and way too energetic in Alicia's opinion.

"How much tea have you had today?" Alicia asked.

"A lot and B12 shot courtesy of Doc Shannon" Kate said as she held up a mirror for Alicia to inspect, Alicia was speechless as she looked beautiful and not like a hooker she had been worried as she had been at the mercy of Maddy and Elisabeth for over two hours. Her hair had been blow dried into its natural waves and placed into a loose half up, half down style with her long fringe perfectly styled to frame her face. Her makeup was light and natural like always just with a little more eyeliner to accentuate her dark brown eyes, some mascara and bronzer that made her olive skin glow even more than usual.

"Wow" Alicia murmured.

"You haven't even put your dress on" Kate said.

"I think it's so romantic that Commander Taylor has put so much thought and effort into today" Maddy said smiling.

"Yeah you should totally marry that guy" Kate said to Alicia in a mocking innocent manner.

"Really? I don't know" Alicia said in a mockingly doubtful manner. Elisabeth and Maddy chuckled at the two women as they continued to banter.

"Well we shall leave you ladies to finish the rest as we have to get changed ourselves." Elisabeth said.

"Ok see you in half an hour and thanks for the makeover and energy boost" Kate said.

"Anytime" Elisabeth said as she and Maddy left.

* * *

40 minutes later at the Chapel.

"This has got to be the first time Wash has been late in years" Guzman commented as he tugged on the collar of his jacket. It was an honour to be asked to stand next to Taylor as his best man but he wished they could have gone without the jackets but Taylor had it in his mind how he wanted everything to be so here they stood waiting in their dress uniforms. Well the closest thing to it.

Malcolm was off to the side talking with Chaplin quietly while Jim stood at the back of the Chapel with Zoe who kept tugging on her blue dress and trying to throw petals, generally just being impatient.

Malcolm and Jim were just in casual suit pants, button down shirts and linen jackets looking far more relaxed and cooler than Guzman felt, he marvelled at how Taylor could stand beside him and not sweat bullets in the overly warm heat of the afternoon.

"She's only 10 minutes late" Taylor said, he was slightly relieved when Elisabeth and Maddy Shannon made their own entrance with apologetic smiles. It meant Alicia couldn't be far behind. Elisabeth wore a steel blue wrap around dress with cap sleeves her hair was up in a sleek updo while her daughter wore lavender summer dress that cinched at the waist. Her hair was half up half down in soft curls with the top half in loose braids. Both women looked beautiful and calm.

Taylor shot Jim a look and he took the look to say 'Check on Wash' and disappeared with Zoe outside for a moment.

* * *

At Malcolm's house,

"I can barely breathe in this dress. This is a disaster" Alicia said as she took shallow breaths in the white gorgeous Grecian bustier dress. It was made from two layers of a softly woven cotton fabric but sadly didn't have a lot of give in it. It was fitted underneath with a loosely gathered overlay.

"Ok just relax" Kate said as she unzipped the dress and made Alicia step out of it. The dress was too small in the bust. Alicia had already divested her strapless bra and had Kate awkwardly help her position her boobs so she had a nice cleavage instead of squished mono-boob.

"Relax? I was supposed to be at the chapel ten minutes ago. Why does Taylor have to make a production out of everything?" Alicia grouched as Kate disappeared from the room for a moment. She was stressed, she hated being late and while she did like being girly and putting on a dress she was now ready to throw it all to the side and get back into her BDU's and just go.

"Because every woman deserves to have her day of wedding bliss and anyway it's good luck to show up late. It's expected" Kate said from the kitchen. Alicia heard the sounds of fabric ripping and winced as she really didn't want to know what Kate was doing to the dress out there.

"I've never been late in my life" Alicia said sitting on the bed in the spare room.

"In less than nine months you'll have proof that you have been late before" Kate said with another tear of fabric that made Alicia cringe.

"You're hilarious" Alicia said dryly as Kate came back into the room the dress appeared to still be intact.

"Here we go round two" Kate said as she held out the dress, Alicia stepped into the dress and turned around. Kate zipped up the back of the dress. "How's that?" Kate asked.

"Better, still tight but I can breathe" Alicia said as Kate checked the dress over to make sure it wouldn't fall down or anything too embarrassing. Alicia rearranged her breasts or the 'girls' as Kate called them until said redhead gave her the thumbs up.

"Good, you want it tight so it doesn't fall down. Your boobs are amazing, not that you didn't have a nice rack before but wow pregnancy has it's perks." Kate said before laughing.

"Thanks" Alicia said dryly as Kate circled her making sure everything was where it was supposed to be and looked alright.

"You are missing one thing" Kate said.

"Oh? What?"Alicia asked, she had a dress, the ring and shoes. Her hair and makeup was done. She thought the look was complete.

"Well your engagement ring is something old, the dress is new, and this is something blue-ish and borrowed" Kate said holding up the fabric belt that was supposed to be part of her dress. The floral print was a mixture of blues, oranges, reds and greys.

It was a sweet floral tunic mid thigh dress in the same soft cotton as Alicia's dress was made in. It was all-over floral print that had a V-neck with ruffled drape detail, short flutter sleeves and a cut out detail at back with button to fasten at neck. She wore tan sandals and matching tan belt to accentuate her trim waist.

"You are really pulling out the all the stops today" Alicia said as she lifted her arms so Kate could wrap the floral belt under Alicia's bust cinching the cascading layers of the dress and giving Alicia some shape.

"Taylor's orders" Kate said with a mock salute.

"Well when it's your turn you can borrow my wedding dress" Alicia told her. Kate shook her head.

"Nah I can't do strapless, remember?" Kate asked as she pulled the collar of the tunic back to reveal the burn scars on the top of her shoulder that were a gift from Lucas and the other faint scars she had been gifted from her previous life.

"I'm sure Elisabeth could fix those so you barely notice them" Alicia told her.

"I'll give it some thought. Anyway your dress could be dyed a more versatile colour and wear it in the summer or for date night. When you lose your pregnancy boobs we'll just sew up the darts I ripped open" Kate said.

"There's an idea" Alicia said, she wasn't against wearing dresses she just couldn't be bothered as she wore her fatigues all the time. They were easy option for her.

"You ready?" Kate asked in an excited tone.

"Yes" Alicia said.

"Excited?"

"Giddy, can we go?" Alicia asked as she took a slow inhale and exhale. She had not expected her afternoon to turn out like this or her wedding. It was great except for the not knowing what to expect. Kate had assured her the wedding was still small and said only Guzman, Malcolm and the Shannons would be in attendance sans Josh who was working.

"Yes if we are any later Taylor will really worry that you left him at the altar and we have run off together" Kate said tongue in cheek.

* * *

It took them less than ten minutes to get to the church and only a few odd looks from a few people passing by as most people were still at work and school. When they arrived at the Chapel Jim and Zoe were waiting outside ready to go.

"One Photo" Alicia told Jim in warning as he was already ready to take a picture. Jim handed Alicia her bouquet of flowers with a grin.

"Smile for the Camera" Jim said holding up his hand held plex. Kate and Alicia posed and smiled for the camera once the photo was taken. Kate held out her hand to Jim. "What?" he asked.

"Plex camera thingy, Maddy is chief photographer as she is the only person in the Colony I trust not to distribute photos without authorisation" Kate said, Jim made a face and reluctantly handed it over to her.

"I want it back" Jim said disgruntled by Kate's honesty.

"You will later tonight. Now I have to get inside. You look absolutely beautiful, if he doesn't marry you. Just know I'm happy to step up and then we can start a colony of Amazon women!" Kate joked Alicia shook her at Kate but laughed none the less with Jim. The redhead crouched down to Zoe. "Zoe clean up nice, you ready to throw some petals in the air?" Kate asked her.

"Yep!" Zoe said with a nod.

"You totally have the best job today. I have to go play a smelly piano" Kate told her in a jealous tone, Zoe smiled smugly as it made her feel special. "Ok let's go, see you two inside" Kate said to Jim and Alicia. Alicia turned to Jim and took a deep calming breath.

"So you got the duty of walking down the aisle?" Alicia asked him.

"Yeah Guzman, Malcolm and I drew straws" Jim told her.

"Thanks I feel so special" Alicia said laughing.

"You should, you make a beautiful bride. Now, we have to wait until Zoe is half way up the aisle and then we walk. I promise not to step on your dress. Now let's get this over with I'm getting a rash from wearing Malcolm's Jacket" Jim joked her as he held out his arm.

* * *

Taylor shared a smile with Kate as she circled around the back of the chapel and up the outside of the pews avoiding the aisle as she made her way to the piano. She gave him the thumbs up as she took her seat at the piano.

The Chaplin took his position at the front on a higher step to Taylor while Malcolm, Maddy and Elisabeth turned to watch Alicia's entrance. Kate started playing the first bars of soft melody Taylor had never heard before, he watched as Zoe threw flower petals up in the air so they showered everywhere even over herself. He smiled at the enthusiasm of the little girl. Zoe was halfway up the aisle in her petal showering and skipping when he heard Kate start to sing with the music. He like many in the room had no clue she even possessed a talent with music let alone a beautifully soft melodic voice. Normally something like that would have caught his attention but today it melted into the background adding to the romance and atmosphere as he saw Alicia at the back of the Chapel. She was so beautiful, his throat ache. She looked angelic in her white cotton floor length dress, her long hair draping her shoulders.

Alicia was amazed and incredibly touched by the view before her. The whole thing was not half assed as she had imagined it would be. The Chapel was decorated with many flower arrangements out of a mixture of the Terra Novan white Gladiolas, Larkspurs, Dahlias, Statices, and Freesias in a mixture of soft yellows, oranges and white. They were some in pots and many fastened to the end of each pew that cascaded to the floor to frame the aisle. The afternoon sunlight cascaded a soft glow into the right side of the Chapel.

Taylor stood at the front of Chapel next to Chaplin in his black military jacket and black BDU pants. Guzman stood next to him as he wore similar outfit but his was in a drab green denoting his enlisted billet. She inwardly smirked that it was the closest thing any of them had to a dress uniform. She saw Elisabeth and Malcolm standing at the front row of pews. Zoe was already half way up the aisle still tossing flower petals with enthusiasm while Kate singing while she played the piano added to the atmosphere as Maddy flittering about taking photos with a small plex.

She hadn't, couldn't imagine a wedding like this to be hers. It felt like a true fairytale for her that she never allowed herself to get wrapped up in yet here she was sinking in. She held the bouquet and linked arms with Jim and they proceeded down the aisle. She smiled softly her eyes never leaving Taylor's as he smiled at her. This was the beautiful start of their future together.

* * *

TBC~ See you all hopefully next week! Reviews welcome as always… :-)

A/N: If you want to know what Alicia's dress looks like (from my mind) Alexander McQueen Grecian Bustier dress.


	19. Chapter 19

_A/N: As always Huge thank yous for reviews they make me smile! It also helps the old noggin out with motivation! Also many apologies for late update..Exams this week so I've been studying and there were minor blackouts...no power no internet... I know excuses, excuses! Anyways Enjoy!_

* * *

"I take you, Alicia to be my lawful wedded husband… nice slip if only we had a recorded the ceremony." Jim said laughing with others at Taylor's faux pas during the exchange of vows. They were all seated around a large outdoor table in the Shannon's Backyard. Round Lanterns with tea candles provided the lighting and other paper decorations of pin wheels and cranes suspended in the air above them on string along with a few well placed chem. lights. The table was set up with a couple more flower arrangements and a few tea candles in open jars.

They had shared a large roast with vegetables and salad. There was also a liberal amount of sparkling non alcoholic apple cider being shared in lieu of Champagne since no one wanted to nurse a hangover with work in the morning. At least that was the excuse they used as Taylor was giving no one the day off except himself and Alicia. The perks of being married to the boss as Kate called it.

It was a perfect wedding even with the slip ups and starting late and the 'reception' was getting even better as the men removed their jackets and they all relaxed into their chairs with the ladies and enjoyed each other's company and the down time.

Taylor sat at one end of the table with Alicia at his side, not having to hide their affiliation or keep a professional distance. He comfortably leaned back in his chair with his arm around the shoulders of Alicia's chair as they sat at the large table surrounded by those who attended the wedding as well as Reynolds who gate crashed in the hopes of seeing Maddy and Josh who had finished his day shift at Boylan's.

"Let it go already" Taylor said, his neck slightly red from embarrassment. He had been so thoroughly distracted by Alicia that he had trouble concentrating through the whole ceremony. Never in his life had he made such a faux pas.

"Yeah cut the man some slack it's not like we see Alicia all gussied up. It was very distracting, even I was distracted and I don't even swing that way" Kate said tongue in cheek she ducked just in time missing Alicia's hand that had gone to smack upside the head.

"Like you're one to talk, getting you to wear a dress is harder than getting you into the infirmary" Elisabeth said shaking her head in amusement. Kate an expression of mock shock.

"Hey, I'm in a dress right now. Which by the way is made for a woman with shorter legs than me" Kate said as she tugged on the short skirt of the dress as it was riding high on her legs.

"You got the legs flaunt them. Don't you agree Malcolm?" Elisabeth asked him.

"I'm quite fond of them" Malcolm replied with a smile as he placed his hand on Kate's thigh under the table as Kate took a sip of her cider from the champagne flute.

"Well you can appreciate them later" Kate told him earning a few laughs as she lifted his hand from her thigh and placed it back on the table.

"So you guys having a honeymoon?" Kate asked looking to the Newlyweds.

"Yes, three days R&R, Jim and Guzman will be in command" Taylor told them. Guzman and Jim nodded as they had already been given their instructions. They were to pretend Taylor and Wash were OTG and if anyone asked for either of them. They were to take a message and an appointment time three days from now with whatever excuse they wanted to use. As long as it was believable.

"Well we'll try not to burn down the Colony while you two are gone" Kate said.

"It would be appreciated considering your proclivity for setting things on fire" Alicia said.

"It was two fires which were very small that were more smoke than fire. Over six months ago." Kate stated.

"So the roast two nights ago" Malcolm drawled innocently.

"Was not on fire" Kate clarified for the table as Malcolm was implying it had been. The others looked to Malcolm in amusement waiting for him to dispute her claim.

"It's true, it was more smoke than fire" Malcolm said in agreement.

"And it was a good roast-" Kate started.

"Once you cut away the charcoal edges" Malcolm said finishing her sentence.

"See I'm getting the hand of this cooking 22nd century style" Kate said.

"Yes, it must be so hard to go from discovering fire and cooking with it to cooking on a stove top" Josh said being a smart ass and failing.

"Like you should talk, you can't find cook a meal to save your own life" Maddy said rolling her eyes at her brother much to everyone else's amusement.

"The Shannon men are lacking in that department" Elisabeth said smiling at she looked to Jim.

"Hey, I have never set the kitchen on fire and I can cook pancakes" Jim said defensively.

"So this staff meeting in four days, you guys going to announce your other news?" Elisabeth asked.

"What other good news?" Malcolm asked curiously.

"I'm pregnant with twins" Alicia said, Guzman choked on his drink when Alicia said 'twins'.

"You alright there Guz?" Taylor asked.

"Twins?" Guzman coughed in surprise.

"It's what happens when two over achievers get together and -Ow!" Kate said as Alicia pinched her arm. The others laughed as it wasn't the first time Kate was pinched for being close to saying a cheeky comment. Those who didn't know the news smiled and offered their congratulations.

"Congratulations Sir, Ma'am" Reynolds said a long with everyone else. Jim pointed at him from the across the table and gave him a serious look.

"Hey don't get any ideas Reynolds Taylor and Wash are not the shining example to follow, marriage then babies. Not for another 10 years at least" Jim half told and half warned the young soldier.

"Copy that, Mr Shannon" Reynolds stuttered embarrassed and slightly going red in the cheeks as did Maddy who was blushing madly from mortification.

"Oh Dad!" Maddy exclaimed shaking her head while the others at the table were smiling and laughing. The night continued as the food, drinks and laughter flowed, soon the cake was placed at the head of the table along with pots of tea and coffee.

"The Ice Age is not coming or ever going to happen" Malcolm told Kate shaking his head at her baiting him. He fell for it everytime, it was like she was testing a well known theory for holes.

"You can't say that with certainty just because we all live in some freaky parallel universe does not mean we miss out on all the major stuff" Kate argued obstinately sitting back in her chair folding her arms a signifying she was not going to change her opinion even if it was amusement sake.

"I agree with her" Jim piped in with a smile as Malcolm gave an aggravated sigh while the others smiled and chuckled. Alicia and Taylor were firmly staying out of the conversation and observing the conversations going on as it was fair more amusing.

"Oh you're just agreeing with her to goad Malcolm" Elisabeth said Jim smacking playfully on the arm. Zoe had fallen asleep lying on Jim's chest something the girl was getting a little too big and heavy for but Jim didn't mind as he knew these days were numbered.

"No, I do agree with her. I remember watching an old TV show called 'Fringe' on my plex, they explained it all, they even used pictures to explain it" Jim said matter factorily. Kate sat up at 'Fringe' and looked surprised.

"You've watched Fringe?" Kate asked Jim who rubbed the back of his neck with a hand.

"Yeah, I was dating a girl in high school who was into vintage TV" He explained awkwardly which made it obvious said girl was not Elisabeth.

"The things we pretend to be interested in for the sake of love" Guzman said mockingly.

"Speaking of Love, can we cut the cake now?" Alicia asked getting everyone's attention.

"Please" Kate said answering both Malcolm and Alicia as Malcolm gestured to if she wanted him to pour her a cup of tea. Kate got up from her seat and started taking pictures of the cutting of the cake and more photos of those around the table. She and Maddy were now taking turns so no one was left out.

The cake was a simple two tier design vanilla cake beautifully decorated with thick frosting and berry topping. After the couple went through the motion of sharing a piece of the cake before Taylor took over serving up pieces of cake to the table. It didn't take long for Zoe to rouse from her sleep and dig into her piece of cake much to the amusement of those around her.

"I like where Zoe's priorities" Kate said as she retook her seat snapping a random photo of her piece cake for no reason in particular before picking up her fork and taking a bite.

"Of course you would" Alicia said with a smile.

"What am I being charged with now?" Kate asked innocently.

"I think I remember spending a few hours with you in the Market with Max telling you all about the food you can eat and how to cook it" Alicia said, she could remember the day clearly as Kate spent 4 hours talking with Max the 'green grocer' discussing all of Terra Nova's vegetables and fruits. Her asking him what nearly everything was and what it tasted like, texture, smell and then exchanging recipes as Max gave them a few taste tests.

"I was being thorough and Max is quite knowledgable" Kate said before she ate a bite of her cake and murmured in pleasure. "Maddy this is delicious" Kate added, she now understood why Zoe was inhaling her piece.

"I agree, this cake is amazing. The whole afternoon and night has been amazing. Thank you everyone" Alicia said as she licked the frosting off her thumb. Taylor served her a slice of cake.

"I second that" Taylor said, he had already given a speech thanking them all but it didn't hurt to appreciate them again.

"You're welcome Sir" Guzman said as if he was the one who did all the hard work.

"Yeah it must have been hard day for you" Jim scoffed in good humour.

"You guys had it easy with the decorating and the flowers whatever else you did. While I had to make this happen" Guzman said mockingly as he gestured to himself. The table laughed at him and some even shook their heads.

"Yes, we all know you take the longest in the bathroom" Alicia said.

"gotta make sure all those curls are just right" Kate quipped.

"At least some of us take some pride in how we look before we walk out the door" Jim said to Kate.

"You're just jealous because looking good comes so naturally to me" Kate said waving a dismissive hand at Jim's comment.

"She's so modest" Malcolm quipped earning him a few laughs.

"Just like you Malcolm" Elisabeth said tongue in cheek. The laughter continued with a few 'oh, good one' murmured here and there.

"So when are you two going to get hitched?" Taylor asked seeing an opening to ask the two. He noted an awkward exchange of looks between the two before Kate answered.

"Oh you know anywhere between now to five years if we are following Jim's approved lines of what an acceptable 'courtship' looks like" Kate said with a cheeky smile. Jim pointed at Reynolds making eye contact with serious expression.

"Reynolds they are not the example to be following either. Marriage, then moving in together, then all the other stuff, no deviating from this course" Jim told him.

"Yes Sir" Reynolds said awkwardly as he made note of the ever increasing list of rules, he almost made him wish he hadn't dropped by or at least stayed but then he would have never been given the honour of celebrating his Commander and Lieutenant's nuptials or spend time with Maddy.

"Oh looks like we fail at being a shining example of couplehood" Kate said to Malcolm with a mock sad expression at their subsequent failure.

"You failed when you forgot to lock the door to Malcolm's office" Jim told her, making a face of disgust.

"Perhaps you should have knocked first" Kate suggested.

"What were you- never mind" Josh said feeling stupid for even beginning to ask the question as he already knew the answer.

"You ever heard of discretion?" Taylor asked Kate and Malcolm who were both blushing and smiling cheekily, not even a hint of shame.

"It was 11 at night and I can't believe we are having this conversation right now" Kate said.

"If it helps the lock on my office door has broken for over a year" Malcolm added.

"No it doesn't, I'm scarred for life." Jim informed them.

"So dramatic, I now know where Zoe gets it from" Elisabeth said dramatically rolling her eyes.

"I'm not dramatic" Zoe stated as she had finally come up for air finishing her second piece of cake.

* * *

The night grew to an eventual close as Alicia and Taylor called it night as Zoe passed out and Kate didn't look far behind the little girl. She also knew Jim and Guzman had an early morning which gave her and Taylor many excuses to call it a night without it being about them wanting to go home and get started on their honeymoon.

Alicia and Taylor walked home after a send off from the others which involved receiving a bag of dinner leftovers and cake along with a bag with Alicia's toiletries and clothing she had been in earlier that day. It was considerably late at night which allowed Alicia to enjoy wearing her dress and walking arm in arm with Taylor as the Colony was asleep bar the soldiers on patrol.

When they arrived at the house Taylor opened the door open and placed the bags inside the door before he moved towards Alicia.

"What are you trying to do?" She asked.

"I'm carrying you over the threshold. It's tradition" he told her. Alicia nodded and allowed him to pick her up in his arms bridal style. She wasn't going to argue over something as trivial as taking a few steps indoors and knew it would keep Taylor happy.

"You really pulled out all the stops today, when you said we'd have 3 days of R&R I thought you were being optimist. Not that you had everything planned" Alicia said in an amused tone as she looked around the house that was dimly lit with chem. lights but it was enough lighting to see Taylor had done some decorating.

The dining table had two large baskets of fruit and vegetables along with a basket of baked goods on it along with flowers. There were more flowers placed around the room and path of petals to the bedroom. All recycled from the wedding or so Alicia assumed as they were the breeds of same flowers with exception to the path of red white and pink flower petals set into a path to the bedroom.

"You're only getting married once Alicia and I wanted it to be special, no half measures." He said as he lowered Alicia to her feet and closed the front door making a show of locking the door and disabling the door bell. They were not going to be disturbed. He had stocked the fridge and freezer with food but not the redecorating of the living space of the petalled path to the bedroom. He made a mental note to thank Elisabeth and Kate later.

"Well you definitely ticked all the boxes, I'll never forget this day" Alicia said as she turned to face him wrapped her arms around his neck. A smile graced her lips as she pressed her body against his.

"It's not over yet" Taylor told her, Alicia looked to the clock on the wall and then smiled back at him.

"Mmm you only have half an hour left best use your time wisely Commander" Alicia informed him in a salacious manner.

"I believe I have 72 hours to whatever I like with you Mrs Nathaniel Taylor" Taylor told her with smirk.

He pulled her hard against him, filling his hands with her softness, sliding his palms along the bare skin of her arms and down the back of her dress, breathing in the familiar, sweet scent of her hair as he kissed her in deep, ravenous, soul reaching kisses. He felt her hands run down from his neck to his chest before pulling his jacket off before she reached to the hem of his T-shirt.

She seemed determined to get his clothes off him, and as far as brilliant ideas went, he was right there with her, one-hundred-percent. He found the zipper at the back of her dress and unfastened it, then pulled back to yank his shirt free from his body.

He watched as her dress fell from her body like a sheet

Her dress fell off her in a sheet, pooling at her feet, leaving her naked save for a pair of plain white knickers.

She was beyond beautiful he took a moment to take it in, to savour the moment as this was the first time they were making love as man and wife. A small smile played across his lips.

"Part of me wants to stand here and just look at you all night," he told her.

Alicia glanced down at his arousal then smiled. "Another part of you won't be very happy if you do that." she informed him cheekily.

"Damn straight," he said with a laugh before he picked her up in his arms bridal style and carried her to the bedroom.

* * *

3 days later,

Alicia sat at the conference table tapping away at her plex catching up on her work. She tried vainly to maintain her professional façade but her brain was still in honeymoon mode. The Last 72 hours had been satisfying on many levels. She wished that she and Taylor were still cocooned in their house making love right now instead of on duty but work was just a necessary evil. She looked up when Malcolm greeted her and took a seat on the opposite side of the table to her and was soon joined by Kate who had come into the Command Centre with Baz.

"Kate, nice to see you put some efforts into your looks today, if I didn't know any better I'd say you're trying to catch my eye" Baz teased Kate who took her seat next to Malcolm. Alicia noted the cup of hot tea in her hand and barely conscious look on her friend's face and her feminine attire. Kate was looking like she had put the minimum amount of effort into her appearance and managed to look respectable. She was wearing a navy blue maxi dress. It had a jersey tank top as the top half and cinched under her bust then flowed with a long soft cotton skirt. Her hair was out in its natural loose waves.

"That's right this is all for you Baz" Kate said with a teasing smile as she leaned on her elbows drinking her tea. Baz and the sixers had returned to the colony with lumber, sand and meteoric ore among other necessary supplies. The sixers and the others were unloading the supplies in the main square and packing them away before having the rest of the day off.

"You even smell nice" he commented as he made a show of sniffing her hair before moving to his chair on Alicia's side of the table. The other department heads started coming into the room.

"I always smell nice, hey Alicia we still on for lunch?" Kate asked before taking another long draw of her peppermint tea wishing it were Matcha Green tea. She noticed that Alicia was wearing her wedding and engagement ring but said nothing wondering if anyone else would pick up on it.

"Of course" Alicia said at her usual chair to the right hand side of the head of the table, Kate covered her mouth with a hand and yawned.

"Geez Wallace don't you ever let your women sleep?" Baz asked.

"I assure you Baz, Kate gets her 9 hours of sleep nightly" Malcolm said with a smirk as he rubbed Kate's arm, the redhead leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Kate should come into the infirmary after the meeting. I'll do a full work up" Elisabeth said as she had taken a seat at the table.

"I'd rather you have a cup of coffee so I can have some proper tea instead of this herbal stuff. Just give in you need it" Kate said with a cheeky smile, she opened her eyes and adjusted herself in her chair so she was comfortable and keeping a professional distance from Malcolm. Elisabeth smiled and shook her head.

"No, the stakes are too high" Elisabeth said.

"What's the stakes?" Alicia asked.

"If I cave first I have to babysit Zoe for every Friday and second Saturday nights. If Elisabeth caves I get two bottles of Boylan's finest pink Muscat wine" Kate said with a dreamy face as she could already taste the muscat wine.

"Ok let's get this meeting started" Taylor said as he walked into the room with Shannon and Mira behind him. They took their seats at the table as Taylor took up his usual spot at the head of the table.

"Before we start I want to get some announcements out first. I'm not going to beat around the bush" Taylor said he looked around the table knowing that only four people at the table had no clue what he was going to say. "Lt Washington and I are married"

Silence descended on the table as those who didn't know were gobsmacked by the news that was until Baz spoke.

"About time you made an honest woman out of her. We'll pretend my invitation got lost in the mail" Baz said with a smile as the others followed suit with polite congratulations and happy smiles at the good news.

"It was an intimate ceremony, three days ago. Other news Wash is pregnant" Taylor said with a proud smile. He held Alicia's hand and watched the reactions of the others. Alicia knew it was a risk the Sixers finding out about the marriage and the pregnancy but it wasn't like she could hide her pregnancy forever and it was time to stop hiding.

"Geez Taylor you don't muck around" Baz remarked as the others offered their congratulations once again. Alicia felt glad to see the consensus of jubilation at their news. Not that she expected anyone to be upset or show displeasure but still it made her feel better.

"I'm not getting any younger either" Taylor bantered the others at the table chuckled. "Onto the next announcement" Taylor said Bas held up his hand and Taylor paused allowing Baz to speak.

"Let me guess the next announcement will be that Kate is up the duff with his babe" Baz said to Taylor as he gestured to Kate then Malcolm as the chuckles died down.

"Nice Baz, Oh and just for the record I'm not pregnant" Kate told the table.

"Then what's with the dress?" Baz asked.

"I was tired and it was easy" Kate said.

"So much I could say to that" Baz said with a smile.

"You have been spending way too much time with Carter" Kate told him, she excused herself before yawning. Taylor was about to remark her fatigued appearance when Elisabeth jumped in first.

"Kate and I are giving up caffeine for a month. It's day two without caffeine" Elisabeth explained to the others at the table, Taylo chuckled as he knew Kate lived on green tea so it couldn't be easy for her to kick the habit.

"Anyway, the other announcement is that I have found my new deputy." Jim said as he lifted a medium sized black box roughly 8.1 inch x 4.9 inch x 12 inches in dimension onto the table with a heavy thud in front of Malcolm.

"What with the heavy box?" Kate asked.

"This is your Portable Biometric Access Handgun Mini Safe, an early birthday present for Malcolmus" Jim explained.

"Wow, you shouldn't have" Malcolm drawled dryly.

"You wanted a gun safe for Kate my new deputy to store her gun in at home." Jim said smugle.

"Oh Cheers" Kate said with a smile as she placed her tea to the side and pulled the heavy box closer to her so she could get a better look. It was black metal with a hand print engraved in the top with sensors Kate assumed were used to open the door which had a pressure lock as there was no handle.

"Kate, we'll discuss the finer details this afternoon. Work out a schedule between construction and your new duties as a deputy" Taylor said.

"Take her, with the sixers return back I have a full complement of workers again. I don't need her anymore" Baz said waving a dismissive hand.

"I feel so loved" Kate said dryly as she looked up from her inspection of the gun safe.

"Anyway, that's it for announcements let's get down to business" Taylor said taking control of the meeting before Kate and Baz got into a bantering session. The two were renowned for rapid firing conversations that no one could get two words into. It seemed to be something Kate brought out of people around her. The meeting continued for another 30 minutes covering a varying amount of details of what was happening over the next two weeks now that Baz was back with supplies.

* * *

"So how long have you been on the 'No Caffeine' Kick?" Alicia asked as she and Kate had finished Lunch and were now indulging in a pot of blueberry mint tea.

"Two days, 6 hours, 30 minutes and 5 seconds. All my super powers are gone. I need caffeine to function" Kate said as she had her head rested on the table.

"You'll survive" Alicia told her as she took a sip of her tea. Kate made a small whiny noise and shook her head.

"No I won't. How do you do it?" She asked.

"I just tell myself in 7 months I'll have two beautiful babies which is worth giving up booze and coffee" Alicia told her. Kate looked up at her with tired eyes and looked to be contemplating the idea of being pregnant before dismissing the idea entirely.

"Elisabeth thinks the caffeine is impeding my recovery. Something to do with my body being burned out blah blah" Kate grumbled as she put her forehead back on the table.

"I feel like I should be talking to Elisabeth" Alicia said in amusement.

"I'm fine, my blood work is fine, everything is fine. I'm just excessively tired because I have four broken ribs and my internals are still healing from Lucas's 'playtime'. It's just stupid it was over 7 months ago" Kate grouched.

"Well I know how you like leaping tall buildings and catching bad guys and run circles around the colony but seven months ago you were cooked from the inside out. Your heart kicked the bucket not once but twice in less than a week. These are not injuries that heal up in a couple of weeks they take months of recovery and rehab" Alicia told her.

"I know" Kate said with a sigh, she lifted her head and smiled at Alicia "So how was the honeymoon?" Kate asked she wriggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Good" Alicia said the understatement of the century.

"Only good?" Kate asked with a slightly crestfallen expression. Alicia smiled widely and shook her head at Kate as she knew the redhead wanted every dirty detail but Alicia was not going to share.

"Yes and thank you for the food supplies and everything else" Alicia said referring to how the house was done up and also for the wedding and reception. She allowed Taylor to take credit but she knew who was behind all of it.

"The heart of petals on the bed was overkill but Elisabeth wouldn't be persuaded from it" Kate said in reflection.

"No, the apples and the honey jar with the label of health warnings and instructions was overkill" Alicia told her, Kate laughed.

"What? You didn't like it?" Kate asked innocently when she stopped laughing for a moment.

"You have such a graphic mind-"

"And the vocabulary to back it up" Kate added proudly before Alicia could finish.

"I guess I should be grateful you didn't draw pictures" Alicia said, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink at the memory of what Kate wrote and the subsequent activities that followed that were very pleasurable.

"I was going to but Zoe was in the room when I was writing the note" Kate said casually. Alicia shook her head at Kate. "What? She was in the lounge room and I was at the kitchen counter. It's not like I had her proof read it" Kate added.

"Anyway it was good to have Taylor all to myself no interruptions for three days and that is all I am telling you" Alicia told her.

"Spoilsport, I have to rest and relax which means living vicariously through you and Taylor and your crazy hot honeymoon sex adventures" Kate said.

"I would think you and Malcolm would already be having a lot crazy hot sex"

"You'd think so but you'd be wrong. He refuses to have sex with me to help me mellow out my caffeine withdrawls and refuses on medical grounds because I quote 'You're injured, you're extremely tired and you need to rest'. Like that is even a good excuse?" Kate said in dramatic disbelief, Alicia chuckled.

"He's being considerate and looking after your health" Alicia said. Kate shot her an incredulous look.

"Why do you have to be on his side? You're my friend you should be saying he's an asshole. I want caffeinated beverages" Kate said with pout, Alicia made a derisive noise before laughing as Kate groaned putting her head back down on the table.

* * *

"Mira" Lucas said he got up from his bed when he heard the door open, he had expected to see his father but was pleasantly surprised as Mira walked into the room.

"Lucas, your father said you wanted to talk with me" Mira said she did not hide the fact she was suspicious of him or his motives.

"I asked to see my friends" Lucas said in a toying tone.

"Oh I am your friend today?" Mira asked sceptical of why she was here. Lucas had never been her friend and barely a business associate due to his anti social nature.

"Closest person I have to one. Please have a seat I have only had my father for company the past couple of weeks" Lucas drawled as he gestured to the table and chairs.

"I imagine that was educational for you" Mira commented dryly as she took a seat at the table opposite Lucas.

"Sometimes, I'm shocked he let you in here. Usually when he says 'I'll consider it' it means a 80% likelihood of him saying 'no'. Tell me how is he? I haven't seen him in three days" Lucas said.

"He looks well" Mira said, the old man was glowing with happiness as was his new wife. Marriage didn't seem to affect their professional lives or her situation yet.

"Tell me how Lt Washington looks, does pregnancy suit her?" he asked, Mira quirked an eyebrow as she hadn't thought Lucas knew let alone that he would broach the subject with her.

"I'm sure it would if she was in fact pregnant" Mira said as she lied in an even tone to him. Lucas narrowed his eyes at her assessing whether she was being truthful.

"Don't lie to me Mira. I heard Haynes tell Doctor Shannon about Wash's whoring round with my father" Lucas said, Mira made a derisive noise and rolling her eyes at Dr Haynes being his source of information.

"You should know better than to listen to that woman" Mira said before she chuckled as if mocking him for thinking along those lines.

Taylor had spoken with her privately before the senior staff meeting. He had informed her privately of his marriage to Lt Washington and her current condition being pregnant. She honestly didn't give a Dino's ass what Taylor and Wash did with each other but congratulated him as it was the polite thing to do.

She wondered why he would tell her privately until he told her that Lucas wanted to speak with her and while he was allowing it, he asked that she not disclose Wash being pregnant or their marriage as he wanted to tell Lucas the 'happy' news himself. Mira of course had no issue with the request as she felt withholding the information gained her more favour with Taylor than with Lucas.

"All rumours hold a grain of truth" Lucas said.

"I only arrived back this morning from being in the Jungle and I can tell you that your father's lapdog is not with pups" Mira said rolling her eyes at Lucas's inquiry.

"Cute" Lucas said.

"There is a pool running on when Kate will announce she is pregnant though she's been showing signs" Mira said idly, deflection was her best course of action and she was only repeating a 'rumour'.

"Signs?"

"Excessive fatigue, mood swings, she's also wearing a lot of loose clothing barely doing any work. Dr Wallace has become quite protective of her. Carter has kept me apprised of her condition so we can adjust our bid." Mira said, though all of kate's signs were of a caffeine withdrawal and the woman's laziness.

"What will you win?" Lucas drawled sarcastically.

"First preference for when housing becomes available. I don't want to spend however long it takes to reopen the portal in the barracks. How long are you going to pretend the calculations aren't finished?" Mira asked as she was tired and wanted to go home and wanted to have a shower not make idle chit chat with Lucas.

"Who said they were finished?" Lucas asked.

"Escher did, he said he had the calculations ready to go and all we needed was for Malcolm to repair the terminus." Mira said carefully maintaining her cool even though she was ready to throttle him.

"He used us, we were played" Lucas said, Mira stayed quiet and narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm working on them but it's soo hard" he drawled in a fashion that told her he wanted something.

"Oh and what can I do to make you work faster?" Mira asked not wasting time.

"Information about what's really going on out there, also a way out" Lucas said in a low voice.

"Impossible" Mira hissed.

"Nothing is impossible, there is always a way." Lucas said, Mira shook her head at him. "I'm not talking about breaking me out today or tomorrow but in the next few months would be preferably. I don't plan on wasting my life away down here" Lucas told her.

"Lucas you can earn your father's trust and get your freedom can't you be satisfied with that?" Mira asked.

"No, it will take years for him to let me out"

"Lucas be satisfied with having your life back."

"This is not a life! I'm in the brig"

"We are all paying for our crimes"

"Yet you get to walk around free and I'm here being punished!"

"You think my life up there is a picnic? I'm working construction detail and sharing a barracks with 30 other people. 85 million years away from my child"

"A child you'll never see unless you help me out of here"

"Once you finish the calculations and the portal is re-established I'll help you"

"No-"

"Yes, I've been burned enough in the past month to know better. It's time you delivered your promises first before I even consider putting my neck out for you"

"What happened to wanting to see your daughter? I promise you if you don't help me you'll never see her again" Lucas told her.

"Then I will never see her again and you will rot in this cell" Mira said calling his bluff with a shrug she got up from her seat. She made to the door when he spoke up.

"Why don't we meet in the middle?"

"I'm listening"

"I will show progress if you get Kate to come and talk with me"

"I will need time to convince her"

"Let's say 3 weeks"

"Impossible, you left deep scars on that woman. She'll never agree to see you"

"Then I suggest you be persuasive, give her your sob story tell her about your child and how much you miss her and that I need Kate's forgiveness as I can't concentrate on my work because of my overwhelming guilt blah blah" Lucas told her in a bored tone.

"What do you get out seeing her?" Mira asked.

"What does it matter to you?" He asked.

"It doesn't, I'm merely curious" Mira said in a off the hand manner.


	20. Chapter 20

"The calculations aren't complete" Malcolm told Mira. He felt like he was forever repeating himself on this subject. Taylor had called him up to the Command Centre to talk with Mira. He had already told her previously that even with his high proficiency levels in mathematics. Physics wasn't his field of study nor was he near the level of competency that Lucas was. He knew he couldn't finish the calculations even if he dropped everything on his plate and focussed entirely on it.

"So we need him to finish them" Mira said as she and Malcolm sat opposite sides of the conference table Taylor and Jim.

"Yes" Malcolm said in an exhausted tone as he had better things to be doing right now.

"Then you will have to talk to Kate, convince her to talk with Lucas" Mira told Malcolm.

"No" Malcolm said.

"He won't show progress unless he talks with her" Mira said folding her arms. Malcolm looked to Taylor and Jim for explaination.

"It's true, he made an ultimatum that if Kate doesn't see him in the next three weeks he won't finish the calculations" Taylor said as he had watched the video feed from the camera.

"I don't care, I won't be roped into this and if anything I would dissuade Kate from meeting with Lucas." Malcolm stated firmly.

"You will have to convince her" Mira said looking to Taylor.

"Why don't you try and convince her?" Taylor asked.

"I have no sway with her" Mira said. It was true the two women were acquaintances but Kate held more power in their relationship. She was also not an idiot with a death wish.

"It doesn't matter anyway, she won't listen to anyone who wants to talk about Lucas. She doesn't want anything to do with the man and I won't help you in this regard. Kate has given enough to this colony and the sixers. It's time we respect her wishes" Malcolm said defending Kate.

"We have an agreement" Mira said ignoring Malcolm completely and looking to Jim and Taylor. At least they were more open to the idea. Taylor sat up in his chair and narrowed his eyes at Mira with displeasure.

"Our agreement was that we'd do everything on our power to reopen a portal back to the future. The terminus is being repaired. Your people are currently enjoying the luxuries of occupations, housing and food. I still have soldiers sleeping on the ground, don't you dare think you are coming out poorer in this agreement just because we have hit a bump in the process. It's only one of many I thought you had more patience than this" Taylor commented darkly.

"We only have three weeks" Mira stated.

"I will talk to her this afternoon" Taylor said to Mira. Malcolm watched on in disbelief. Kate had confided in him she never wanted to lay eyes on the man but here Taylor and Mira were discussing how to convince Kate to go into the brig.

"Do I not get a say?" Malcolm asked.

"You've had your say but its Kate's decision to make not yours" Taylor told him, Malcolm looked to Jim.

"I guess you agree with them?" Malcolm asked as Jim had remained remarkably quiet for an opinionated person.

"I'm against it. I think Lucas wants to stir up trouble. I also know that we are wasting time discussing this without Kate here." Jim said he was reserving his time for fighting when it would be more relevant. Right now Taylor was playing the leader, the diplomat with Mira who wanted everything to go her way.

He knew Mira saw no harm in Kate having a conversation with Lucas but Jim knew better. He knew that Kate would have to be ready to confront Lucas, if she wasn't then the conversation they were having right now was irrelevant. It was something Kate had to come around to willingly, not be forced into.

"Shannon, radio Kate and get her come here. The sooner we have this conversation the better" Taylor said.

* * *

Late that evening at the Taylor Residence,

"It's a civilian matter not a military one. As such it doesn't involve you" Taylor told Alicia as he pulled out the fry pan and other equipment they would need to make dinner. First day back at work had been a shocking. At least Alicia had been in a good mood until he informed her of what happened with Kate.

"Doesn't involve me?! She's my best friend, our family! I can't believe you would push her-"

"I didn't push" Taylor said cutting an angry Alicia off.

"No, you forcefully informed her in three weeks she has to walk into the same room she was held and tortured in to have a 'friendly' chat with your son the man who did those things to her. How did she take it? Like an order?" Alicia asked her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"She didn't take it well" Taylor said.

"I'm sure that is an understatement. I guess it didn't help she was exhausted and cranky from having no caffeine and still healing from her injuries" Alicia added dryly as she folded her arms looking at him darkly.

"In hindsight it could have waited another week or two" Taylor admitted, the meeting had ended in disaster. Malcolm had been remained quiet but disapproving as Taylor explained the situation to her. How they needed her to have a conversation with Lucas. The redhead had shaken her head just as obstinate as Malcolm when she declined to see Lucas. But she was more subdued, politer even when she refused to consider the idea of meeting in a neutral location late at night.

Mira of course had pushed Kate further as she claimed a soldier like Kate who has no qualms killing a man without a second thought or a moment's regret shouldn't have an issue with a 5 minute conversation with an unarmed prisoner. It had opened a whole can of worms, arguments started at the table until Kate said she would do it. She would have a 5 minute conversation with Lucas 3 weeks from the day. She left the room leaving them all stunned. Malcolm left a second later to pursue her. Mira looked pleased but Taylor and Jim were anything but.

He and Jim had a brief discussion after Mira left. They needed to maintain a united front even with their differences in opinion. Jim had agreed that he would talk with Kate the next day, help her prepare herself before confronting Lucas. Jim warned Taylor that if Kate wasn't ready in the three weeks to confront Lucas then it wouldn't happen.

"Really?" Alicia scoffed Taylor wished he hadn't told Alicia while she was holding a knife as she was cutting the vegetables on the board in a vicious manner.

"Alicia I've already had three people bite my ass about this and I don't need another. Kate will have to put her issues with Lucas aside and do as she has been asked. It's only one visit" he told her. Alicia put down the knife in her hand and looked at the board of chopped food taking a slow deep breath.

"I think we should change the topic because right now I want to throttle you" Alicia said with honest as she looked at him. She wanted to go back to the honeymoon bubble they had been in as she felt her anger simmer inside her.

"Ok, the soldiers took our news well" Taylor said that made Alicia smile as she remembered the grins of those in their unit and the heartfelt congratulations they had received. It definitely made the morning even if there were a few comments thrown around about how they looked forward to seeing Alicia pregnant and looking the shape of a bowling bowl and some suggesting how their names would be good for a girl or boy and would be chuffed at the honour.

Taylor had not let Mortimer, Eugene and Bernard down easy as he said he'd ordered Alicia to have girls and no daughter of theirs was going to be named Eugenia, Bernice or whatever the feminine version of Mortimer was. Though the Corporal had suggested that 'Mortimer' could be a girl's name too, start a trend in the colony.

"All of the female soldiers have requested a couple of hours off in the future to give me a baby shower" Alicia said leaping a chance of salvaging their night. She would talk with Kate in the morning.

"I'm sure we can work it into the schedule three months from now. Gives us time to figure out exactly what we need and then we can compile a gift list" Taylor said giving it some thought as it would save him and Alicia some time if they had a baby shower.

"My thoughts exactly" Alicia said as she picked up the knife again and continued making dinner.

* * *

Malcolm finished unpacking the clean dishes from the dishwasher when he heard Kate's shower finish. He closed the door to the dishwasher and hung up the tea towel before he moved to the bedroom to find Kate wrapped in nothing but a towel sitting on the edge of the bed. Her hair tied in a high bun on her head, he watched as she was awkwardly rubbing what appeared to be oil into her skin.

"Let me do that for you" Malcolm said as he sat down on the bed behind her. He brushed Kate's hands from her shoulder. Kate handed him the small 30ml bottle with an eye dropper to him.

"I thought your scars didn't bother you" Malcolm said as read the label, it was an oil treatment for scars. It was a mix of essential oils and antioxidants with a dose of the same chemical in the Derma-spray that helped speed up healing and regeneration.

"Normally they don't but I prefer not to walk into the brig three weeks from now and have Lucas point out his handiwork and feel proud of himself" Kate said.

"You don't have to do it" he told her as he made himself comfortable behind her and dropped a couple of drops of oil onto her shoulder before putting lid on the bottle and putting on the floor out of the way. He started to slowly massage the oil into her skin.

"It's one meeting. Mira and Taylor would have bullied me for the next three weeks until I caved. Mira would have said it was my duty and we all made agreements that we have to adhere to. Taylor would tell me it's for my own good that I need to do it. Once it's done I'm off the hook. Can we change the subject?" Kate asked in an exhausted voice, she gave a moan as Malcolm increased the pressure of his massage to her shoulder and slowly moved his hands so he was massaging both of her shoulders.

"Tell me what the results of your visit to the infirmary were" he said as he continued massaging her shoulders.

"Mmmm everything is fine I just need to not do anything for a couple of weeks and relax. That I have to use that oil for the next week, twice a day and my scars will be fade and disappear. Oh that feels good" Kate sighed letting her head drop forward enjoying the massage as Malcolm worked the knots that she hadn't realised she had from her neck.

"So what are you going to do with all your spare time?" he asked in a teasing tone as Kate relaxed further under his ministrations.

"I figured I'd paint the new house, start planning a baby shower for Alicia, I promised Zoe I'd watch the Muppet Movie with her in the Eye" Kate said.

"The Eye is for educational purposes not a movie cinema" Malcolm told her.

"The Muppet movie is highly educational on film making and classic Puppetry in the 21st century" Kate informed him in an amused smile as she lifted her head.

"I'll have to take your word for it as I don't know what a 'Muppet' is. I thought it was a 21st century slur for calling someone an idiot like Drongo" Malcolm said as Kate had called him a 'Muppet' from time to time not in a mean way but just when he did something amusingly stupid.

"It can be" Kate said as she threw a smile over her shoulder at him.

"Anyway you don't sound like you'll be resting much" he commented.

"There's a lot that needs to be done" Kate said as she shifted her body in front of his and leaned in close resting her head on his shoulder. He moved his hands to around her body holding her close and pulling them back on to the bed more before lying down completely.

"It can all wait until after you have fully recovered from your broken bones and are well rested" He told her.

* * *

The next morning Alicia had been heading to Malcolm's to check up on Kate as the woman was not answering her comm. or any of the messages she had sent either. She hoped Kate was sleeping and not ignoring the messages. She had just reached the front porch when she ran into Jim.

"Shannon, where are you going?" Alicia asked even though she already knew the answer she couldn't stop the stupid question from leaving her mouth.

"I'm going to talk to Kate" Jim said.

"Me too, Taylor told me all about how you are going to 'prepare' Kate to talk with Lucas" Alicia said.

"Yeah, I thought I'd attempt to be middle person between the two as I'm not sleeping with either of them" Jim said in good humour.

"You're saying I'm compromised due to my relationship with Taylor?" Alicia asked, she noted how Jim took a step back before answering.

"Yes" Jim said carefully.

"Fair call but in this regard Taylor and I are on separate sides of a fence" Alicia said as she stepped up to the door and knocked on the door frame.

"Really?" Jim said surprised.

"Yeah, Taylor doesn't really understand Kate the way that I do" Alicia said.

"Is this a 'girl' thing?" Jim asked.

"More of a 'Sister in Arms' thing" Alicia corrected as she knocked on the door and waited for Kate to answer. The door swung open to reveal a half conscious and barely dressed Kate. It was like she had rolled out of bed and tossed on the nearest article of clothing before opening the door.

"You're half dressed" Jim said as he noted Kate was wearing one of Malcolm's shirt and he assumed nothing else underneath. He had no desire to find out if that assumption was indeed fact.

"I am, what's up?" Kate asked as she squinted against the bright daylight that was 10am, not bothered in the slightest by her state of undress or the fact that she was standing with the door wide enough for anyone walking by to see her.

"Turn around" Alicia ordered her, Kate was confused but complied. She was too tired to compute the reasons as Alicia turned Kate and pushed her back into the house.

"You coming?" Alicia asked Jim.

"No, I'll wait here until Kate is decent. Don't need any nasty rumours starting" Jim said staying at the open door.

15 minutes later, they were seated at the dining table. Kate was fully dressed in wide leg yoga pants and t-shirt, her hair brushed into a low ponytail. She had perked slightly from sniffing the coffee from Jim's cup before returning to drinking her cup of peppermint tea.

"So what do I owe for this unexpected pleasure?" Kate asked as she rubbed the fatigue from her face with her hands before giving them her attention.

"I didn't like how we left things yesterday" Jim said.

"I said I'd do it, you all got what you wanted. What's the problem?" Kate asked.

"Mira and Lucas got what they wanted" Jim said.

"It's a delicate situation for all involved. Mira wants to see her daughter. Taylor has to placate to the terms of surrender he had promised to Mira and Lucas is holding the only thing he has to give he has hostage for his own demands. At this moment in time we have to find the balance. I'm not taking it personally" Kate told him calmly, though inwardly she was taking it personally on a deep level. She asked one thing and it was to be left out of whatever happened with Lucas and yet she kept being dragged into it.

"Liar" Alicia said.

"What's the point in getting angry?" Kate asked her.

"At least be honest" Alicia said.

"Fine, I'm pissed off. I asked one thing and that was to be left out of anything to do with Lucas. Yet I'm going to have to walk into that brig for his personal pleasure and for what?" the hand that Kate had on the table had flexed into a tight fist. "So we can open a portal back to your time. Open up Terra Nova for another Occupation-"

"That's jumping ahead a bit" Jim said carefully.

"Is it? Because I think what we have here is pretty good. I don't want it to be further tainted by people like Lucas, Weaver and the phoenix soldiers. I don't want to become an oddity or a science project ever again and I'm tired of waiting for something bad to happen. I'm tired" Kate told them. The way she said 'tired' was laden with a deeper meaning that it was not exhaustion from lack of sleep but a bone deep exhaustion from everything in general.

"Taylor and I spoke after the meeting yesterday" Jim said watching Kate, he now understood why she had agreed so readily. She wanted to get on with life and right now she just in a holding pattern. "I said we would talk and prepare you."

"I need a week to prepare" Kate said, she knew no amount of time would help her. She was not scared of Lucas but the memories he made her remember just by his mere presence.

"Use the three weeks" Alicia told her.

"No, I appreciate the concern but amount of time will help me. I'll go in hostile he expects it. I'm not afraid of Lucas he is not some almighty god, he's just a man and a damaged one at that. I will go in 7 days and talk with him. It is the only time I will do it" Kate said firmly.

* * *

A week later, Kate stood outside the brig with Jim. Alicia and Taylor were running drills with the soldiers and were currently occupied as Kate didn't want Taylor observing her visit with Lucas in real time. So Alicia agreed to help her out by distracting Taylor. Kate was still unnerved that Lucas told Taylor everything. It seemed to create a wall between them as he wanted to talk about what happened and she wanted to forget it all. It was her coping mechanism. Bad things happened in her life she tried to not let them drag her down, she preferred to forget them altogether.

"We can do this next week or never" Jim told her as Kate leaned against a wall taking deep breaths trying to calm herself. She was about to walk into the brig where Lucas had tortured and maimed her. Luckily the visible scars of the events were gone, even some of her old scars were gone thanks to Malcolm's help. She wasn't one to turn down a massage, he of course joked that he had the 'healing touch'. It felt cathartic to have the scars from her person slowly fade away.

"No" Kate said shaking her head. She pushed off the wall and squared her shoulders. The two soldiers at the door remained passive she was sure they would tell all their friends how she had a panic attack outside the brig. "Let's get this over with" Kate said.

Jim opened the door and Kate walked into the room. She took shallow and controlled breaths as she looked around the brig. Memories flittered through her mind, she remembered the smell of burnt flesh, dirt and sweat. She closed her eyes for a moment calming her racing heart and already taut nerves before she opened them again to see Jim closing the door behind him.

Kate took tentative steps into the room walking past the stabilizer she had been tied up to 8 months ago, the dried blood in the concrete of the stabilizer. Her stomach flipped with nausea as she tore her eyes from the blood to see Lucas standing by the bed. He looked surprised even nervous to see her.

"I didn't think you'd come so soon" Lucas said as his eyes roved over her loose clothing as Mira had said the woman was inclined to wear. She wore a man's shirt with the sleeves rolled up with wide leg cotton pants, her hair pulled back into a low ponytail. She looked exhausted, almost haunted. He liked to believe he had that effect on her until she spoke her words contradicting her expression as she spoke.

"Don't play stupid with me Lucas. Mira told me you are holding the Calculations hostage until you saw me. So here I am for my one and only appearance" Kate told him, Lucas smiled as he knew it was only the beginning. He was going to make sure she made a weekly visit.

"Have a seat" Lucas said to her.

"I'm not here to socialise, I'm here so you finish the calculations. You have 5 minutes. So talk fast" Kate said matter of factorily as she pocketed her comm. device after checking the time.

"You're not going to give me a chance?" Lucas asked.

"A chance for what?" Kate asked.

"To see how you are doing" he said.

"Touching, I'm perfectly fine did I mention once I walk out that door I'm gone from your life forever. Tell me what you want it's your only chance" she told him, Lucas threw his hands up defeat and said nothing. A few minutes of silence passed and Kate looked at Lucas waiting. When the 5 minutes lapsed she spoke.

"I thought so, let's go Jim" Kate said to Jim. They moved to leave and only made it as fair as reaching to open the door when Lucas spoke.

"I was wondering if I was right" Lucas said.

"Right about what?" Kate asked as she had her hand poised in air above the door handle.

"Escher said the best part of disasembling a person was putting parts of yourself into them. I told him that with you, I stripped away all the layers and that I put fear into you, I brought a strong woman like you to your knees and broke you. He of course laughed and said it was laughable as you were nothing but a weapon that pretended to be human. That I couldn't destroy you but he's wrong" Lucas taunted, he knew he could get away with talking like this as his old man was so wrapped in his delusions that Lucas was healing that he wouldn't believe Kate's words and just think them as petty.

"Kate" Jim said a low voice. Kate pursed her lips and took her hand away from the door. She turned on her feet and pulled the gun from Jim's holster before he knew what she was doing or could stop her. She crossed the space between her and Lucas and held the gun by the barrel out to Lucas offering him the handle of the gun.

"Take it" Kate told Lucas, her grey eyes were ice cold her tone deadly serious. Lucas looked confused to her actions while Jim knocked on the brig door calling in the soldiers but Kate ignored the orders being shouted at them as she held the gun out to Lucas. It was like they were in their own world.

"Kate -" Jim started only for Kate cut him off.

"Stay out of this Shannon" Kate told him as she didn't break contact. She grabbed his hand and placed it on the handle of the gun making him hold it "Take the gun, shoot me and try not to screw it up because I'm tired of being brought back from the brink. This is what you want right? To rattle me to see that fear in my eyes, You want to see the damage, your artwork so you can destroy it right?" she asked him calmly as she held the barrel to her chest. They could have been discussing the weather for how calm she was.

Lucas wasn't sure what to make of this, she was supposed to be scared running out the door a crying mess not shoving a gun in her hand and giving him orders. Her hands dropped away from his and she folded her arms waiting for him to pull the trigger. It wasn't playing out how it was supposed to.

"All I ask is that you do me the honour of looking me in the face when you pull the trigger" Kate told him, yet he couldn't, didn't pull the trigger "Come on, you had no problem pointing this gun at Lt Washington, stabbing your own father and you had no problem torturing me to an inch of my life, Leaving your tool marks on me. You nearly killed me twice. You wanted me dead? So do it" Kate said egging him on with a sick smile twisted on her lips.

Lucas's heart pounded in his chest as adrenalin surged his system, every fibre of his being wanted to pull that trigger to see her shocked expression as he proved her right but she wasn't an obstacle for him, she was supposed to be a pleasure. The same pleasure he had when they were in this brig together but then she was spoiling it. She wasn't scared or cowering in his presence. She was calm, emotionless and completely in control just like Escher. The gun in his hand shook as he realised Escher was right, he said that Kate was a finely crafted weapon. That what Lucas did to her in their short time together was nothing it didn't leave even a mark on her as she continued talking to him.

"... Can't see what you want? Or does it scare you to know I didn't feel anything you did to me? That all you got from me was the necessary responses to make you believe that I was in pain, that I was scared, that dredging up my past would somehow affect me. How you broke me" she said mocking him now "All that time wasted, memories ruined because you thought you broke me? But it is you who is wrong, I am a weapon. It is what I need to be to survive. Didn't Escher tell you a weapon doesn't feel fear, it has no regrets, you can damage it and scuff it but it won't stop it from it's primary function..." She told him, he looked into her eyes trying to find a flicker of something in her to show she was jesting but there was nothing, it chilled him to the core of his being.

Jim watched on as Kate talked to Lucas in a chillingly honest voice. He didn't know what to do as he knew Kate told him not to interfere but she gave Lucas a sonic pistol. She was too close to Lucas for the soldier to shoot as Kate would be hit with the shockwave as the sonic blast dissipated. Yet amazingly Jim saw Lucas was scared, truly scared to the point he was shaking in pure, honest fear as he held the gun pointed at Kate's chest.

"...What's the matter? don't like me being so honest, you wanted to get real, you put me through all that pain to peel away the 'layers'. Well here I am, this is the real me. Do you now understand? You can't put fear into me, you can't break me either as I was broken a long time ago by someone stronger, and more vile than you. Kind of what Escher did to you but I got to keep my body parts and it also made me stronger, smarter unlike you where you're nothing but a weak, damaged little man" Kate said with a menacing smile. Lucas pulled the trigger, the gun clicked but didn't fire, and he realised that the safety was on but before he could rectify the issue. Kate wrenched the gun out of his hand and tossed it over her should to Jim.

"You forgot to take the safety off and looks like your 5 minutes are up. Now that we understand one another better I think it's best we not cross paths again because I will always win" Kate told him as she walked out of the room with the confidence of a woman with great power.

Lucas felt relief wash over him. He agreed at her sentiment and hoped they didn't cross paths. His planned had backfired. She was a monster like Escher and he knew from experience he was out of his league. His plan needed rethinking he thought as his body shook from the remanents of fear and adrenalin. He moved to sit down on the bed and barely registered the soldiers or Jim leaving.

* * *

Jim followed Kate out of the brig. When he made it outside he saw her at a nearby tree on her knees dry heaving. He winced as she was making ungodly noises as her stomach tried to upend itself with no success. He closed the distance and crouched down beside her. He was glad she hadn't upended anything as he was struggling not to join her.

"There, there, just let it all out" Jim said awkwardly as he took over holding her hair for her and using his other free hand to rub gentle circles on her back as she continue to dry heave. After a few scarring moments of Jim's life passed Kate managed to control her stomach.

"I'm not that woman in there" Kate rasped as she tried to stop her stomach from spasming but failed as her gag reflex got the better of her. But the only thing that hit the ground were tears.

"I know, if you were we'd see her more often" Jim said.

"It was just a role I play" She said as if though she felt the need to explain herself. She lifted her head up and sat back onto her feet. Tears were running down her face at a rapid pace and her breathing was erratic as she tried to calm herself. "I'm sorry for all of it" she told him.

"That was a stupid stunt. What the hell were you thinking?" Jim asked her.

"I wasn't" Kate said honestly.

"No kidding, I think I aged about 10 years from that. You know if you wanted to pull such a stunt then we could have planned it. You know disengage the firing pin" he told her, he got to his feet and held out his hands to her to help pull her up. She took his hands and he pulled her to her feet.

"But then it wouldn't have been so much fun" Kate told him sardonically. She swayed on her feet as she felt incredibly lightheaded and woozy. It took a moment for the stars and black dots to clear her eyes but Jim held her up.

"Whoa, I got you" Jim said as he steadied her.

"Oh I need to go home" Kate said as she pressed a hand to her forehead. Her eyes rolled in her head as she lost equilibrium again sagging in Jim's arms. She felt sick and wanted to just lie down and forget the whole morning.

"Infirmary first. I think you could use a good sedative" Jim half joked.

"I'm fine just a little light headed. I just want to go home. Please" Kate pleaded. Jim nodded and decided to allow Kate her wishes though he did think she needed her head checked. For the stunt she pulled was beyond insane. He helped her walk home as she was deathly pale and having trouble staying on her feet. Many people were watching them and a few soldiers on the way stopped to offer a hand but Kate shook her head murmuring she just needed to lie down but thanking them for their concern.

Jim stayed with her and made some tea while she freshened up in the bathroom and had a quick change shower and changed into her pyjama pants and a tank top. She drank a cup of tea before she told Jim she just wanted to be alone feeling bad for kicking him but he complied and said if she needed anything to just call. After he left she went straight to bed and laid on top of the covers. She couldn't be bothered moving under them as she curled up on her side and cried.

* * *

An hour and half later, Malcolm opened the door to his home and kicked off his muddy boots before he went to the bedroom. Jim had radioed him and informed him that he was needed at home. He had been on the other side of the colony in one of the greenhouses when he got the call, he chastised himself for not being closer to home as he knew about the meeting he just assumed Kate would not go through with it. But Jim had informed him that Kate had and to get his ass him. So he jumped in his rover glad that he drove instead of walked and sped home.

Malcolm looked at Kate who was lying on her side in bed. She looked completely despondent as she stared at seemingly nowhere in particular. Malcolm moved to bed and laid down beside her and wrapped an arm around her stomach gently pulling her in close to his body, spooning her from behind.

"Hey" he said as he placed a gentle kiss on her neck.

"Hey, what's the time?" she replied in a saddened tone, it made him hurt to hear her talk in such a tone. She moved back into him and he held her tighter knowing his presence was balm to whatever was ailing her.

"Nearly Lunchtime, are you hungry?"He asked Kate shook her head as she turned around in his arms to face him. He could see she had been crying as her eyes were bloodshot and still watery. He brushed a hand down the side of her face.

"You want to talk about what happened?" he asked gently.

"Didn't Jim tell you?" Kate asked, her eyes filling with tears she felt like an idiot for how she had acted for what she had said in the cell and for crying but couldn't stop them. The whole event made her feel sick and disappointed in herself.

"No, not in detail only that it did not go well and I should come home. I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner" he told her as he played with a strand of her hair.

"You don't have to apologise. Though I should tell you what happened as you'll find out anyway. I pulled Jim's gun and gave it to Lucas and told him to shoot me" Kate said rolling her eyes in disgust at herself.

"What?" he asked in a low voice.

"I don't know what came over me. He was so smug and I just wanted to pull him down a notch. To prove to him that he had no power over me. It was so reckless and stupid of me when Taylor hears about it I'll be toast. I won't be a deputy that's for sure and I'll probably be put in the 48 hour watch box" Kate said.

"48 hour Watch box?" Malcolm asked he was forever expanding his vocabulary with Kate.

"Psychiatric observation, I can't seem to do anything right and now I have made a royal mess of everything" Kate said through tears. Malcolm shook his head as he wiped the tears from her face.

"No, tell me what I can do to help" he said as he pulled her closer and kissed her brow.

"I don't think anything can help me right now" Kate said.

"Not even a cup of green tea? I promise that I won't inform the others that you cheated. I'll take the secret to my grave that is how much I love you" Malcolm said emphatically, he watched as Kate smiled for just a second before she burst into a fit of laughter. She smacked his shoulder and shook her head at him.

"What am I going to do?" She said being serious though she appreciated him making her smile.

"Well now you're going to lie with me for another half an hour and then we will have lunch because I'll be ravenous" Malcolm stopped when Kate shot him a look.

"I meant what am I going to do if I can't be deputy, Baz has fired me. I have no job" Kate said.

"Don't worry, everything will work itself out and if worst case scenario you are out of work then we'll figure it out. Until then I have enough money to keep us very comfortable. We won't starve or want for anything" he assured her.

* * *

_TBC~ See you all next week!_


	21. Chapter 21

_A/N: Hello! I would like to give a Huge thanks to the reviews and we should all give Metube imaginary gift baskets of delicious baked goods and high fives as the next few chapters are purely based on her idea that she has graciously allowed me to use :-) ENJOY! _

* * *

Later that afternoon in the Command Centre,

"I can't believe it. What the hell were you thinking just standing there and not doing anything?" Taylor asked Jim, He had finished watching the video feed of Kate's visit with Lucas. He didn't know who to start shouting at first Kate for her conduct, Alicia for using drills to distract him or Jim for allowing Kate to see Lucas and the events to play out. The fact that he hadn't been told immediately and heard people in the market talking about it only made him more livid as he was supposed to know everything that was happening not be the poor schmuck who was last to know. He decided that since Alicia had made herself scarce and Kate would be in no state of mind to talk he'd start with Jim.

"You wanted Kate to go in-"

"In 2 weeks time, to talk. Not pull your gun and hand it over to Lucas!" Taylor exclaimed, he stressed the 'talk' making it clear.

"No one was harmed" Jim said, he silently added 'Physically'. Emotionally was another thing, it seemed the meeting ended with two melt downs of different varieties. Lucas's ego and confidence had been completely crushed and he was finally scared instead of smug and Kate. Well Jim knew she was having a crisis of character between being the soldier and person she was in contrast with who she had become over the last several months in Terra Nova.

"It could have easily been different and now the whole colony is buzzing about it," Taylor said.

"Not my fault your soldiers can't keep their mouths shut" Jim said, he had ordered those men to forget what they saw obviously they didn't feel it necessary to follow his orders as he didn't a military rank or the power in their mind to follow his instruction.

"Oh so now it's my soldiers fault not the disgraceful conduct of Kate" Taylor said mockingly.

"How did you see it going down? Did you really expect her to walk away-"

"Yes! She should know how to comport herself"

"Oh that's rich coming from you"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I watched you kick the crap out of Curran based on your bruised ego. You could have just knocked him out but no you had to make it hurt. I'm not saying I'm any better than you or Kate because in both cases I would not have acted better but you asked her to walk into the room with a man who nearly killed her twice, who tortured her for days. There was no way she could walk out of that room with him holding the power of whatever he felt he had over her" Jim said.

"So you allowed her to scare the crap out of him. What she did could be misconstrued as suicidal" Taylor said.

"I trusted her to know what she was doing wasn't suicidal and I'd do it again because I can't imagine a scenario where Kate and Lucas in the same room could end differently" Jim told him. Though he could imagine many a scenario where Kate broke Lucas's nose but it wasn't subtle or pervasive as what she did the room. If she punched Lucas he would have laughed but putting the gun in hands and scaring the man with words was enough to leave a lasting impression.

"Then she can't have be a deputy" Taylor said with a finality to his tone. Jim looked at him incredulously.

"Hold on, it was my decision to make her a deputy. You can't fire her-"

"I'm sorry did you get promoted to Commander of the Colony?" Taylor asked looking at Jim as he felt the man had overstepped his authority.

"No but-" Jim started only to be cut off by Taylor.

"Well then, when you do you can make the final decisions but as of right now. Kate's offer for Deputy has officially been rescinded. I can't condone that kind of reckless behaviour in my ranks" Taylor said as he moved to take his seat he didn't feel any better for the decision but he couldn't have Kate acting like a loose cannon.

"Oh yeah and locking up a man for three days and dosing his food and depriving him of sleep is so much-" Jim started only to be cut off by Taylor.

"Enough, I made my decision. I will inform her. You're dismissed" Taylor said as he picked up his plex and pretended to get on with his work. Jim threw his hands up in the air in defeat knowing there was no way of changing the man's mind and left the Command Centre.

* * *

"It's a bad decision" Alicia told him later over dinner. Taylor had told her everything wanting a second opinion to make sure he was making the right decision.

"That's your opinion, you saw her conduct in the room. She was reckless she disregarded the safety of herself and the others in the room" Taylor said he was hoping his wife would at least agree with him to some degree. He had made a copy of the recording and showed Alicia who didn't bat an eyelash in fact she didn't even look surprised in the least.

"So you're punishing her." Alicia said matter of factorily before she took another bite of dinner.

"It's not punishment" Taylor said.

"Then don't fire her. Just put off giving her the job until she has recovered from the fatigue and her injuries completely. If she can't pass basic physical requirements then she can't become a deputy" Alicia said, she knew it could possibly be the silver bullet for Kate. Alicia was sure Kate was burnt out not just physically but mentally as she was no longer rigorously training and maintaining the same edge she did in 2016. There was a good chance Kate would fail but at least it gave Kate a chance.

"Talk with the doc she might not sign off on Kate for another 6 months or more. Give Kate a chance to redeem her character, Lucas is a special case. She was taking her power back the only way she knew how. Sure she could have done it a better way but it's done now. Don't punish her. She did what you asked her to do. She saw Lucas you didn't set down the parameters or rules to her conduct" Alicia pointed out to him, Taylor had planned on having a good yell at Alicia after brooding in the Command Centre but when he came home and saw her he didn't have the energy or motivation to shout at her. He was getting protective more protective of her as the pregnancy progressed it was already high risk with her age and it being twins while give her undue stress.

"Fine, I'll talk with Doc Shannon first" Taylor said, he knew he had chosen the right response as Alicia looked happy.

* * *

The next morning,

"Taylor, Jim" Kate said surprised that he was standing at the front door. She knew this was not a good sign as she took in his serious expression. "You want to come in for a tea or coffee?"

"You have coffee?" Jim asked surprised.

"Malcolm drinks it from time to time" Kate said as she welcomed them into the house. Taylor looked around the clean house and spotted the tiny primate on a small tree in the lounge room hanging upside down and rustling in the branches. He noted the plex on the coffee table and knew they had interrupted her reading. He had spoken with Elisabeth who gave a brief prognosis saying that she doubted Kate would be in peak physical condition for at least another 7 months or more. Taylor called Jim and they discussed Alicia idea and now were informing Kate together. Jim was happy as Alicia was that Taylor wasn't going to dismiss Kate entirely and allowing the woman a chance.

"So how are you and Malcolm?" Taylor asked, he hadn't seen much of Kate or Malcolm in the past week but it wasn't like he had gone out of his way to see them either.

"We are good, but that's not why you are here" Kate said as the two men sat down at the dining table, Kate moved into the kitchen and made the coffee. She was dressed in a tank top and her wide leg yoga pants with her hair tied back in a messy bun.

"We're here to talk about the Deputy position" Jim said from his seat.

"I'm not going to get it am I?" Kate asked.

"You are but not until you have recovered from your injuries and passed rigorous training exercises" Taylor said.

"So I'm being put through the hoops for months?" Kate asked as she made the coffees and placed them on the table before taking her seat.

"I need to know you are at the top of your game. It's not going to be easy but it's the only way you're going to get the job" Taylor told her.

"It's a compromise it also shows the colony that you earned the position." Jim said.

"You'll also learn 2149 military discipline, relearn how to take orders and maintain control over your comportment" Taylor added, Kate pursed her lips as she had been in the Military for over 6 years. It felt like an insult but tried to not look offended.

"I have no issue with my comportment" Kate said dismissively as knew these hoops were for Taylor's sake not hers. She wanted it made clear that she was not going to apologise for what she did in the brig. While she was ashamed of her actions as it showed her lack of control on her emotions but she had accepted she would have acted no differently.

"But I do, what you did in the brig the other day was unbecoming. If you were an officer under my command I would have stripped you of rank and put you in the brig for 30 days" he told her.

"I know you're disappointed in me by my actions but I'm not a soldier anymore. I don't have to answer to you the same way a soldier does to his Commander. I want to be a deputy so if I have to go through rigorous training and a probationary period or whatever else you want to throw at me before you hand me a gun then fine I'll do it. But as far as I'm concerned I did what you asked which by the way was entirely unnecessary and insensitive of you and Mira to ask of me. Especially after everything I've done for you and this colony." Kate told him.

* * *

"I've made little progress with the Calculations" Lucas informed Mira, she did her best not to show her pleasure in seeing the tremor in Lucas's hand as he drank from the flask of booze she had offered him. Taylor had given her the flask before he allowed her into the cell room, it wasn't the best liquor but then Mira didn't drink so she didn't care.

"You still have two weeks to show progress" Mira said as Lucas coughed and sputter from the strong liquor.

"You could strip paint off the walls with this stuff" Lucas wheezed before he took another sip this time he was prepared for the burn of the booze. He missed the booze like an old friend.

"I figured you'd appreciate it after your meeting with Kate. Rumour has it, that it didn't go well" Mira said, as she noticed he paled slightly from hearing Kate's name. It was good to see something scared the man.

"I was caught off guard" Lucas remarked taking another sip.

"I'm told she gave you a gun. You could have escaped" Mira said idly making conversation.

"It wasn't conducive to my long term plans"

"Now who's lying through their teeth" Mira said smirking. Lucas looked at her coldly.

"I admit I underestimated her" Lucas said carefully, "But it won't happen again" he added.

"Again? Lucas be smart even if you escape you have nowhere to go and let's get something straight even with my help Taylor will send Kate to find you. Apparently she doesn't need much motivation to track you down and kill you." Mira said.

"Perhaps you're right. For now at least I'll wait" Lucas said before he took another sip from the flask. His plans were useless as he had expected Kate to freeze in fear but she didn't. Right now he would have to start from scratch. Which more time living in the brig, at least he couldn't complain too much he got three meals a day and shower even if his four walls of dirt and concrete left something to be desired.

* * *

4 months passed in a blur though to Alicia she felt every day as she continuously grew larger and larger. And as she grew larger and larger the more Taylor treated her like a fragile object instead of the strong woman she was. She was 24 weeks pregnant; she had reached a milestone where if she went into premature labour there was a good chance the twins would survive but would be in neonatal care for three months. Not something she wanted as she'd prefer to carry them to term. Elisabeth had congratulated her as she said Alicia's stomach was a little bit bigger than the size of a woman with a single pregnancy. It was a relief to make it this far and the colony was incredibly supportive.

Alicia didn't mind people stopping to ask how she was and offering a compliment about how pregnancy suited her but she did however mind the unsolicited advice on parenting tips and mothering advice from the Terra Novan Mother's group. They were incredibly intrusive with their questions and asked her questions about her health that only she would share with Elisabeth if it were completely necessary she was not going to divulge to a complete stranger for all intents and purpose about how her nipples felt, her bowel movements or if Taylor and her were trying out new sexual positions. Then there were the questions about what her birthing plan was, who the god parents were going to be, did they have names, it just went on and on. To the point she wanted to scream but she just made excuses and left them before she reacted too terribly.

Taylor and Alicia were completely ready as the baby shower proved a success and people offering presents as congratulations. They had all the clothes, washable diapers, baby bottles, monitors and everything else one needed for babies. The funniest and best of all the news was that Taylor got his wish. The twins were girls. She could still remember him congratulating on her commitment to following orders. She joked about expecting a promotion and pay rise for going above and beyond the call of duty on having two girls. The two had laughed about it and celebrated.

"I swear every time we have lunch you keep getting bigger. May I?" Kate asked with hands out ready to feel Alicia's stomach after she welcomed Alicia into her house. Kate and Malcolm had moved into Kate's house two weeks ago after the glass was put in with a few doors and a coat of paint inside and out. They were practically next door neighbours. Kate and Alicia had lunch every day of the week, sometimes even Malcolm or Taylor would join them but that was on the weekends mostly.

Malcolm and Kate had been getting along better than ever. Kate recovered from her injuries and passed all the tests Taylor threw at her before he officially made her a deputy. She'd been working with Jim for only a week as deputy and trained with the soldiers to stay fit. Something she had been doing for months with Taylor. The two had managed to mend the bridge that Lucas had damaged and were back into their old friendship. Lucas of course was still in the brig and apparently working hard on the calculations though he showed no progress. Alicia still felt uneasy from him being in the brig but at least Taylor only visited Lucas twice a week instead of daily as he was now back performing his full duties as leader to the colony.

"I only allow you, Zoe, Elisabeth and Taylor to do this" Alicia said allowing her to touch her stomach. She hated when the other colonists asked. Kate's face lit up as the babies moved. It was a common occurrence now and while Kate had said it would be weird to feel something flipping and kicking around inside Alicia informed her that it was oddly comforting and made the girls feel more tangible and alive to her especially when they pressed on her bladder or kicked her in the kidneys or the ribs.

"They are so active, you're going to be run off your feet with them" Kate said looking up at Alicia before she looked back at Alicia stomach "Greeting from the outside world, it's Aunty Kate calling- Ah they kicked!" Kate said excitedly.

"Yeah they do that a lot" Alicia said.

"Got two little mini Alicias in there. Ok enough of treating you like a human incubator" Kate said in good humour as she waved Alicia into the lounge room. "Have a seat, take a load off. Can I get you some water? Tea?" Kate asked.

"Water thanks, the place looks great" Alicia said as she took in the warm yellow hues of the kitchen and the apple green of lounge room. She took a quick look in a couple of the bedrooms noting the blues and dark aquamarines and the bathroom was white probably the only room Malcolm was allowed to pick the colour with black and white tiles.

"Thanks, Malcolm wasn't too enthusiastic about the colour scheme but now the furniture is in he loves it." Kate said as Alicia made herself at home on the couch and looked toward the kitchen area where Kate was.

"How are you doing?" Alicia asked.

"I'm ok, a little bored. I'm just training or doing nothing" Kate admitted as she brought two glasses of water over to the coffee table and sat down next to her. Whatever Kate was cooking it smelt divine to Alicia.

"It's a sleepy colony" Alicia said.

"Yeah all the bad guys are in the brig and when I just show my face in Boylan's bar the fights stop and people disperse. It's annoying I'm supposed to be catching bad guys and tearing up gravel in high speed pursuits of stolen rovers" Kate said dramatically. Alicia chuckled.

"Well you and I can start hanging out. Taylor has decided to take me off duty as I'm just getting too big to be waddling around the grounds. Soon I won't be able to fit into my uniform and all the colonist mummies are driving me nuts with their incessant chattering and advice on babies." Alicia said angrily, she was more annoyed at being pulled off duty 4 weeks before they agreed. She was already on light duties and working half days as it was. But Taylor decided it was better for her to just take Maternity leave early.

"If that's the case then you can start wearing Maxi dresses, I have some you can borrow that are loose fitted and in stretchy fabric. Should do the trick as your boobs are huge" Kate said looking at Alicia impressive bust line, pregnancy had really made them grow.

"Eyes up your perv" Alicia said smacking Kate's arm. The redhead looked up with a smile and shrugged.

"I can't help it. They are just there and anyway I'm not wearing the dresses at the moment so you can take them and avoid all the women as much as possible" Kate said.

"Thank you" Alicia said, she then noticed the ring on Kate's finger. "Kate you forget to mention something?" she asked pointing to Kate's hand.

"Oh this? Malcolm proposed how crazy is that?" Kate said downplaying her own excitement. "You saying yes" Alicia answered her as she grabbed her hand and inspected the diamond ring more closely. It was an18k White Gold Three Stone Diamond Semi Engagement Ring*.

"How did he ask?" Alicia asked as she couldn't but compare her ring to Kate's noticing Kate's was more sedate than hers but still beautiful none the less. Alicia loved her rings even if they wouldn't have been something she would have picked for herself she loved the sentimental value and the history attached to them.

"He asked right in the middle of-"

"Kate!" Alicia said cutting Kate off knowing Kate was inferring that Malcolm said it in coitus when she knew Malcolm had more class than that. Kate chuckled.

"I'm joking, we were planting the vegie and herb patch out back and we were checking plants off the list. He'd say 'Lavender' I'd say 'check' and tick off my list and after a few other herb names he then said 'marry me' and I was about to say 'check' but I looked up from the plex and there he had the ring in his hands. He asked me to marry him." Kate said.

"You obviously said yes" Alicia said.

"Well I said 'Are you serious?' to which he nodded, then I called him an idiot before giggling and crying while saying a very enthusiastic 'yes'. Then once the ring was on and things got all down and dirty" Kate said with a brilliant smile.

"So big wedding plans?" Alicia asked as she rolled her eyes at Kate's salaciousness.

"Well I said we should just go to the priest and get it all done but you know Malcolm. He's such a chick about it. He wants us to have a wedding. So maybe in a year or so" Kate said with a smile as Alicia rolled her eyes at Kate referring to Malcolm as being the 'chick' in the relationship. Though she was surprised they would wait a year.

"A year or so? Why the wait? Get married and get knocked up then our kids can play together. I already have a head start" Alicia teased her. She even rubbed her stomach to emphasise her point.

"That's what I said!" Kate said with mock enthusiasm "But Malcolm said having kids isn't a competition" Kate made a face which Alicia laughed at as she knew Kate was being funny and not being serious " But anyway, the thing is we can't decide on what we want for the ceremony. The only thing we have decided it has to be an autumn or spring wedding, preferably outdoors. Leaning towards the orchard in spring with the flowers" Kate said thoughtfully.

"It would be beautiful" Alicia mused.

"Yeah, honestly I think it would be easier to just have a large dinner at Boylan's with a cake. Maybe get Taylor to officiate that could be fun" Kate said.

"I don't think Taylor wants to open that door. If he did it once then he's have a line up of couples wanting him to officiate their marriages"

"Yeah well not to worry. Oh! Carter told me the Baby cribs are finished but he wants to air them for a few more days to make sure all the fume smells from the polish or whatever uses are gone before sticking them into the room" Kate informed her.

"Good, I was going to annoy you about that today" Alicia replied.

"Sure, anyway! I planned a big lunch as I am starved. I hope you brought your appetite" Kate said and she wasn't lying as fifteen minutes later Kate covered the dining table with many dishes varying from many different types of grilled vegetables and fish to salad and rice among other items.

"He has the nerve to tell me I'm working too hard that I should take my leave now" Alicia grumbled as she piled the food on her plate and continued to eat. She had vented about her pregnancy woes of achy joints and sore muscles to Taylor and his constant 'suggestions' of her going on Maternity leave early.

"Did he order you or suggest that you take it early?" Kate asked.

"Does it matter? I said I'd stay on duty until I am 28 weeks along and that is what's going to happen" Alicia said firmly she had a plan and she was not deviating from it.

"Alright" Kate said.

"What?" Alicia asked suspiciously as Kate was giving up too Kate reasons with her or tries to until Alicia goes red in the face from pure frustration but she understands that Kate is only helping her to see things more clearly.

"I'm agreeing with you. If you want to work then it's your choice" Kate said as she ate some more grilled eggplant with honey miso paste on it.

"That's right, I just sick of people telling me what to do and 'helping' me because I'm pregnant. It's like I've become an invalid. Reynolds had the nerve to try and help me up the stairs to the Command Centre. I nearly broke his nose I was so angry." Alicia said.

"When was the last time you got laid?" Kate asked innocently.

"Why does everything revolve around sex with you?" Alicia asked,

"Uh oh deflection it's been a long time hasn't it? like a day?" Kate teased, it earned her a dark look from Alicia.

"Taylor refuses to since you told him the babies know when we are having sex" Alicia told her. She threw her napkin at Kate who was laughing. "It's not funny!"

"I was joking" Kate said still laughing as she remembered Taylor's face when she feed him that joke, she had added that he'd probably give the kids dimples too. She didn't think the man would take her serious as he had access to a database with all the information one could imagine possible to disprove her jokes and reassure himself.

"The girls kicked after I – you know" Alicia started.

" 'You know' the technical term for orgasm in the 22nd century?" Kate asked with an innocent smile, Alicia felt tempted to throw her slice of carrot at Kate but decided it was better not to waste food.

"Anyway he freaked out and now he's all 'We can survive a few weeks of no sex, don't want you going into premature labour blah blah'" Alicia said doing her impression of Taylor before rolling her eyes. "It's your fault" Alicia told her darkly. Kate sniggered at her friend's dark mood.

"I'm sorry, I'd throw a leg over but I don't think your husband would be happy. Would you like me to give you a foot massage?" Kate asked as she wasn't sure what the correct response was.

"Maybe later, why didn't I marry you?" Alicia grumbled, she missed sex, it was relaxing, fun, pleasurable and she hadn't had sex in two weeks since Kate told that joke. Taylor wasn't helping her as he loved to give her massages and unintentionally getting her all hot and bothered only when she tried to initiate he'd stop them. She was beginning to feel like a glorified human oven instead of a living, breathing and very sexy woman as Taylor was more concerned for her and the babies' health than reminding of this simple fact.

"Because I don't have a beard, an eight pack or man tools to service you with. Anyway you had your chance to have all this" Kate gestured to herself "and you declined it so don't go crying now" Kate said with a cheeky smile.

* * *

*Kate's engagement ring... just google Natalie K NK19000-W 18k White Gold Three Stone Diamond Semi Engagement Ring


	22. Chapter 22

Later that Afternoon in the Command Centre, the senior staff meeting had been changed to the afternoons to accommodate Taylor's change in his schedule. But no one was complaining as it was better than getting up at 6am in the morning.

"So we need to do another trip out for more supplies to finish the last seven houses" Baz said finishing his report on the construction in the colony. All the sixers had been given housing and played the perfect citizens with no complaints. In fact Jim regularly said they were his favourite citizens as they didn't complain and kept to themselves and if they were needed for something they were happy to oblige.

"Ok, make a list of people. I'll put together a group of soldiers to escort you and we'll go from there." Taylor said, he looked down at his plex at the itinerary. "Malcolm you have something to share?" he asked looking at the man. Malcolm nodded.

"I do" he tapped on his hand held plex and transferred data and information up onto the larger screen suspended above the conference table. "Since we untethered our fracture, I've been detecting anomalous energy readings in the Jungle" Malcolm said as he brought up the scans of the jungle on the plex screen.

"And we care because?" Jim asked not sure if they should be excited or at the table tried not to laugh at Jim's lack of enthusiasm.

"Because at first I thought it was a malfunction in our sensors and the readings were random in size and intermittent. But the last three times the readings have appeared they have shown an increase in scale and frequency. Every 7 weeks there are bubbles of energy-"

"Bubbles of energy? Can we get to the point" Taylor asked confused by Malcolm's form of laymen's terms as he just wanted facts.

"Ok I believe the fracture to 2149 could be reforming or that is my theory as it's in the same location where our terminus used to be positioned. I also think this because I compared the reading with those of the discovering of the portal in 2132 and they are similar. I want to go check it out" Malcolm said sitting back in his chair. The others at the table exchanged looks it was mixed reactions as to whether the fracture reforming was something good or bad.

"With your broken foot?" Taylor asked as the man had broken his foot when Dr Haynes had accidently dropped a large cage on it while they were rearranging the lab and doing inventory two days ago.

"I think you're missing the point about my theory. And anyway I am perfectly ambulatory with the leg brace" Malcolm assured him. Kate placed a hand over her mouth to cover her smile.

"But I thought the fracture collapsed with we blew up Hope Plaza thus gone forever" Jim said.

"Yes- well no, not gone forever just untethered and closed. Honestly it's unstable without a Terminus to tether it to one location and to control the opening of the fracture to make a portal, it's inaccessible" Malcolm said.

"So we can go check it out without being sucked back to 2149 like how I was sucked from my time?" Kate asked.

"Yes, you were in a storm at the time and the lightning struck the fracture opening it briefly with the electrical surge which is why you ended up here. If it had been calm weather you would have still been 2016" Malcolm explained to her.

"Ok" Kate said nodding.

"Just as the early days when these readings were detected people could walk through the energy fields of a fracture unharmed as the fractures are technically out of sync with our physical world hence the terminus is needed to make the travel through one" Malcolm explained.

"That's comforting to know" Jim said.

"Anyway I'd like to go out there and take closer sensor reading. It will only last for another 5 days, I would like to scan the area and take readings before the energy reading disappears for another 7 weeks" Malcolm said.

"Then it can wait" Taylor said.

"What if I'm right and it's the fracture reforming? 2149 could be making contact with us and we don't even know it. It could explain why the readings are consistent. They might have rebuilt Hope plaza and have a terminus on their side. It's worth at least one trip out this time" Malcolm said. Taylor looked to Alicia, they had talked about the fracture reopening what it would mean for the colony and the future of Terra Nova. Both were more inclined to keep Terra Nova cut off from the future and hoped this day would never come but now the possibility was here and it needed to be dealt with and the sooner the better before they had another invasion on their hands. Taylor nodded to Malcolm.

"Ok then give Reynolds the equipment-" Taylor started only for Malcolm to cut him off.

"Reynolds? No offence but equipment is sensitive and requires-"

"Ok, give Kate a run down on how to use the equipment then, since we don't know what we are going to see I'll ask for volunteers" Taylor said. He knew the man would trust his own fiancé with his gear. The news had been a pleasant surprise at the start of the meeting. It didn't take long for Guzman and Jim to raise their hands along with Mira. They had all spent the last 4 months in the Colony, he knew Jim just wanted to escape his duties and have a break, while Mira leaped on anything related to getting back to 2149 which left Guzman who was just looking for a change of too could use a change of scenery even for a few hours.

He and Alicia had been arguing more it seemed the larger she got the more angry she became. Sure they had their good times but the past week had been hellish as Alicia was tired and cranky with back pains and leg cramps. He suggested she might consider taking Maternity leave early only for her to interpret his suggestion as an order which turned into an argument as he tried to explain it was a suggestion and she got upset because she was 'huge' and 'couldn't fit in her uniform or see her feet'. He would have laughed if he didn't think Alicia would give him a black eye so instead he let her waddle away and cool down. She had gone to Kate's and was in a better mood now as she sat placidly in her usual chair next to his. He wished he knew Kate's secret as she always managed to calm Alicia.

"Good, I hope you don't mind getting some OTG time Kate. I think you need some more field experience even on a low risk mission like this" Taylor said looking to Kate.

"Not at all. Though excuse me for speaking out of turn but maybe Maddy Shannon might be a good addition to this trip" Kate said.

"Maddy?" Taylor questioned.

"She's been interning with Malcolm, knows how to use the tech and actually translate the readings. It's a low risk mission and it might be good her to get some field experience" Kate said. Jim and Elisabeth had discussed this before and had come to the decision that since Maddy was becoming an adult she had to start making decisions on her own. The couple exchanged a look and tilt of the head had come to an agreement.

"If she wants to and Taylor agrees. Elisabeth and I have no issue with it" Jim said.

"Ok, now that's settled. I'll leave Lt Washington in charge of the colony until we get back. Pack for an overnight trip. Kate, Malcolm I'll leave you to organising Maddy. We'll leave in the morning 7am. Now, anything else?" Taylor asked, the others at the table shook their heads and Taylor nodded as it was time to draw the meeting to an end.

"Ok, dismissed" Taylor said to them, he waited as the occupants got up from the table one by one got up and left the room. Alicia sat quietly waiting and when they were finally alone she spoke.

"I thought I was taken off duty" Alicia said calmly.

"I suggested you think about it. It wasn't an order" Taylor told her.

"Right, so only when you want to run off into the jungle I'll be left in charge" Alicia said unintentionally baiting him. He knew she couldn't help being in a foul mood it was just the constant pressure of people telling her and advising her as to what to do.

"Alicia, you know as well as I do that if it is the fracture and 2149 is calling I need to be there to take the call" he said, Alicia nodded in understanding.

"Ok, is there anything I should know before I take over? You want the gutters of the command centre cleaned out?" Alicia asked innocently.

"No, just hold down the fort as per usual" he said smiling at her as she was still in her good mood. He planned on making it last as long as he could.

* * *

The next morning Taylor and Jim with the others were busy packing a rover and a rhino with gear getting ready to leave. Maddy stood next to her mother nervously as she was not sure of what she should be doing. Mark had talked her through it all yesterday evening before dinner when she said she was going OTG even after Kate and Malcolm and her parents told her the plan. She was just nervous, with excitement and slight dread it was a big deal to be chosen for OTG trip and with Malcolm plying on the pressure for her to be thorough with her work. She gave a nervous chuckle as she remembered Kate smacking him in the arm and asking if the cage fell on head as Maddy was always thorough in her work and studies.

"You'll be fine Maddy, if anything you'll have heaps of fun and Kate said she'll be by your side the entire time" Elisabeth assured her as though she was talking to Zoe and not a 17 yr old girl.

"So I have a chaperone" Maddy said.

"I prefer the term bodyguard sounds meaner" Kate said tongue in cheek as she threw her backpack at Guzman. She was only armed with a sonic pistol and Ka Bar knife.

"Shouldn't you have more guns?"

"There will be four other people with big guns anyway someone has to help you with all of Malcolm's equipment. Did you remember the kitchen sink?" Kate asked Malcolm who hugged her from behind.

"Be kind, I may take back that ring" He told her.

"Too late it's on the hand and it's not being removed unless it's life or death" Kate told him she turned in his arms to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. The others were slowly getting into the vehicles and saying goodbye.

"Be careful out there" Malcolm said in a low voice to her.

"Always. I'll see you in a couple of days" Kate said before he gave her a quick kiss. "We can celebrate some more when I come back" Kate told him.

"I look forward to it" he said before he drew her in for another kiss.

"You two finished being indecent?" Jim called from the driver's side of the rhino. "Because I'd like to get there before it's dark" he said. Kate laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Love you" she said to Malcolm before he gave her a long and deep kiss.

"Love you too" He murmured as he released her and pinched her ass to which she turned around and gave him a mock outraged look. "I'm going get you for that mister" she told him.

"Something else to look forward to" he told her. Kate smiled before she stopped to say goodbye to Alicia and her stomach she then hopped into the Rover with Taylor. Malcolm moved to stand beside Alicia and Elisabeth. Alicia signalled for the main gate to be opened and within minutes the Rhino and rover were gone in a trail of dust.

"Don't worry they'll be back in 72 hours" Alicia assured Malcolm clapping a hand on his shoulder.

* * *

Few hours later in the Jungle...

"Ok Maddy it's your show from here" Kate said as they got the gear out of the rhino and got to work. The others were clearing paths around the main area. Maddy pulled out her plex and a small hand device that looked like a lipstick case and held it out in front of her as she and Kate walked together. Kate was keeping an ear out for 'dino' trouble just like everyone else. They were all walking around her in the overgrown area where the Terminus used to stand.

"I've got the readings but they aren't centralised to one location as Dr Wallace said but I'm not sure what it-" Maddy stopped as did Kate when they looked around they were no longer in the Jungle but in a dark filthy back alley. A second later, they were joined by the others who all looked equally startled and confused as they were.

"What the hell? Where are we?" Kate said as she started coughing the air quality was abysmal, the others were having difficulty breathing. They all covered their mouths coughing and hacking.

"This is not good, the readings are gone" Maddy said wheezing as she had pulled her shirt collar up to cover her mouth. Not that it would help but she had to try something. She had forgotten how bad the air was in 2149.

"Gone?" Guzman asked.

"They aren't showing up. I think we are stuck" Maddy said.

"We're back in 2149" Taylor stated he moved to the end of the alley, the sound of police sirens and vents steaming with carbon monoxide from the subway and air filtration systems sounded around them along with advertisements for re-breathers and all the racket and noise that came from being in the city.

Kate looked around at all the high rise buildings of concrete and steel and dark brown smog covering the sky it was ten times worse that Hong Kong air in the winter. The air was thick and grimy to breathe, she felt herself choking and her stomach revolt she quickly turned away from the group and emptied her stomach against a wall.

"Kate, you alright?" Jim said as he pulled her up before she fell in her own sick.

"I…can't…breathe" She wheezed out as she struggled for air. He knees buckling completely as Jim held her up.

"She's having a massive anaphylactic reaction" Guzman said as he saw the hives forming on Kate's face and neck. He pulled the small med kit from his belt and pulled out epinephrine and injected Kate in the thigh. Her breathing improved slightly after a few moments but they all knew she needed a place with proper air filtration otherwise she was not going to make.

"Is everyone else ok? Besides choking on the air" Taylor said looking at the others they were all coughing but otherwise no adverse reactions.

"Yeah but we should get indoors quickly. I think we are in the Sector 4 of Chicago" Mira said as Jim lifted Kate into his arms bridal style.

"You know the area?" Taylor asked,

"I used to live around here, I know a few places we can go" she said.

* * *

In the newly rebuilt Hope Plaza in the security control room.

A woman in a black military style suit with severely quaffed blonde hair stood infront od a large plex screen with many video feeds playing of areas around the city with a long column to the left with sensor readings. An alarm sounded in the room and a screen turned red alerting the location.

"I have another energy reading sector 4" A woman said standing in front of a large plex screen she touched the screen bringing up the readings and the video feed. A man in his late 50's with greying side burns and a well tailored suit walked up to her side.

"I bringing up the live feed" the woman told him. She brought up the closest security camera feed.

"It had to be in the darkest district of town" the man mumbled as sector four was the low rent area, had no power 70% of the time and the other 30% was brown lighting.

"This is the best angle, the camera detects 6 lifesigns, one critical. They are on the move." She said and a moment later a figure emerged from the alley where the reading came from.

"It can't be" he said as he watched the video feed watching as most of the life signs stayed in the shadows bar glimpse of one faces and half of another.

"Sir?" the woman asked.

"Don't tell me you don't recognise the great Commander Nathaniel Taylor. Get Facial recs on the rest of the group if you can and alert our security forces. I want them picked up quietly and brought here immediately" he said.

"Sir I only have a partial of one other man's face the others missed the lightening and the camera is low res" the woman said.

"They'll need to pass a camera at some point, get it then and make sure our teams pick them up before local PD does" he said before leaving the room. He had to make phone calls to make.

* * *

"I think it's a temporal rift, I don't know this is impossible but Dr Wallace said they occur every 48 hours so if it is a rift and we came through it there's nothing stopping us from going back on the next one. We should have 47 hours until the next one opens" Maddy said as they sat in a dump of an apartment. It was the only abandoned place they could find with a semi clean air filtration system that function. Well it took a little tinkering on Guzman's part to get it working but it was enough for them all to breathe without choking only Kate was suffering with a horrible deep chest cough.

"Do we know where it will open?" Kate asked before going into another coughing fit. She was really suffering it didn't seem fair. She had hives and trouble breathing she never thought she would be allergic to air, polluted air at that. Taylor had commented that many other fuel sources made from toxic chemicals were used during the years after petroleum was finished and since Kate was neither innoculated or grown up in their environment she was bound to struggle more than the rest. As her immune system was adapted to 2149.

"I don't know but if Dr Wallace was right. If we miss that window we'll be stuck here for 7 weeks maybe more depending on the time variables" Maddy said. They would have asked her to explain further but it would be lost on them as they didn't understand what was going on. Only that they were in 2149.

"Then we need to lay low" Mira said looking at Kate's hives that were growing larger by the minute. She was amazed that Kate was complaining about what had to extremely uncomfortable state for her. The woman needed medical treatment but knew everything they did now would have to be under the table.

"We need to make contact with the Government" Taylor said.

"Taylor, I was employed by your government" Mira told him she had to break his illusions now before he thought he could walk in and be a hero. Their boss was one and the same and they had no problem with the idea of killing anyone who came between 2149 and it's resources. She had no desire to be captured and studied either but while she was here she could find her daughter.

"No the Phoenix group-" Taylor started only to be cut off.

"Are just one group fronting for a larger corporation who works in close quarters with the Government and Military. They do all the dirty work before the people you think so highly of come in and reap the benefits. You have no friends here. If they find out we are here you'll just be repeating the same battle. If we stay under the radar and disappear they'll never know we are here. Terra Nova remains our safe haven" Mira told him. It was the first time she truly explained her job but then she didn't give information unless expressly asked.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Taylor said as he had no desire to repeat the past. Right now he'd rather err on the side of caution as he remembered General Philbrick mentioning that Terra Nova was made for bigger plans before he shot him.

"Get supplies, my daughter and lay low wait until the portal or rift opens again and go home forget this ever happened" Mira said, Taylor nodded he had no qualms as Mira was risking her safety by making contact with her friends here. If she got her daughter back to Terra Nova it was worth the risk.

"Your Daughter?"

"You think the people I was employed by are going to honour our arrangement and keep my daughter safe since I failed to keep the portal open? Of course they won't I need to find her and then we can take her back with us. We have 47 hours, right?" Mira asked Maddy.

"I think so" Maddy answered.

"We aren't here to-" he was going to finish with 'make friends' but Mira must have thought he was going to say her daughter wasn't coming back with them. If anything he was all for it, if Mira had her daughter then there was no more pressure to reopen the portal.

"Taylor, you are out of your game here. I know people who exist under the sensor grid and don't ask questions. Kate needs a rebreather and medicine in the next hour before she has lung failure not mention the rest of us need rebreathers. We also need new ID's, and clothing. I'm the only one here who knows how to get what we need without raising attention" Mira said firmly.

"She has a point" Kate said as she continued to wheeze like a bad asthmatic. As she was not enjoying herself body was hot, itchy, dirty and breathing was incredibly difficult and the hives were spreading. She had bad allergies as a kid but had been desensitized from majority of them when she joined the military. She had never had a bad episode like this.

"Where are we going to get the money?" Guzman asked, Mira looked to Kate and soon the others did to as they knew they were referring to Kate's sparkling diamond ring. Kate narrowed her eyes before coughing again, she covered her mouth as she stood and once the coughing ceased she pulled her engagement ring off and gave it to Mira.

"I officially hate the 22nd century and I want to go home" Kate wheezed before retaking her seat and putting her head between her knees trying not to pass out. No tried to comfort her or touch Kate in any form afraid she might bite them or worse set off her allergies further than they already were.

Mira looked at the ring and smiled before she pocketed it. "I'll be back in 45 minutes an hour at most" She told them.

"Whoa hold up, take Guzman with you" Taylor said. Mira looked annoyed at the lack of trust before giving a nod. Guzman pulled off his armour and green fatigue shirt before rolling down the sleeves of his long sleeve black stretch knit top before handing his tags to Taylor divesting himself as best he could of any military identifications.

"We'll be back" Mira said.

* * *

Back in Terra Nova, Alicia was sitting in Taylor's chair enjoying to comfort of it though secretly wishing she was at home lying in bed wearing one the dresses she borrowed from Kate as her uniform felt heavy and constricting.

"Lt Washington, weather station from the east has detected a large storm cell heading our way" Reynolds said, breaking Alicia out of her reverie. She frowned as she read the plex he handed her.

"How large did the weather team say it was?" Alicia asked.

"Catergory three, it will hit us in about ten hours" He said repeating what he had been told to Alicia. She looked outside at the blue skies not believing the data as they weren't due for storm season for another 2 months.

"Is this a prank?" Alicia asked looking at Reynolds through narrow eyes. She didn't think she had gone soft to the point people thought they could pull one over her.

"Promise Ma'am this is not a joke" Reynolds said she eyed him wondering if he had learned the art of lying then decided it was best to err on the side of caution.

"Ok, call up the soldiers while I put out the announcement. We need to prepare the colony" Alicia told Reynolds.

"Yes Ma'am" Reynolds said leaving the Command Centre.

* * *

TBC~


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: I'm so excited where this story is going! Thank you all for reading and those who reviewed it is greatly appreciated! also I know I wrote 2149 but the time frame they are in is actually 2150..but since they haven't seen a calender the characters believe it to be 2149... it will be correct later on.. Just letting you all know! Enjoy!

* * *

An hour or so later in 2149,

"Dad, is Kate going to make it?" Maddy asked as Kate was barely breathing but still alive. Since the time Mira left the hives had spread and she was now covered head to toe in hives and her breathing had taken a slow decline.

"No, she's just having a rough go. Once Mira is back and we give her some meds she'll be fine" Jim assured Maddy as he kept a constant check on her vitals, she looked to be barley breathing. The sounds of footfalls made Taylor and Jim stand up with their weapons ready to fire when they heard Mira speak.

"It's us, I'd like it if you didn't shoot" Mira called.

Taylor opened the door letting Mira and Guzman in before closing the door and locking. The two came into the room with two large duffel bags and dumped them on the floor. Mira unzipped one of the bags and tossed them all a rebreather each which they put on immediately, started breathing with relief as the clean filtered air went into their lungs.

Mira pulled out a medkit and knelt down beside Kate's prone body and injected the woman with antihistamine mixed with small dose of adrenalin to perk her up before placing the rebreather on Kate's face. The woman's breathing immediately improved and a few minutes later she was sitting up, looking drowsy but recovering.

"I don't miss these things" Jim said through his rebreather.

"Better than breathing in the filth out there, we should be thankful Wallace isn't a stingy bastard. We have everything we need. I have to judge sizes so no complaining. The ID's are as Legit as we could get in short notice but Kate's won't past muster. There are no photo records or any records of her in the core for whatever reason" Mira said she tossed everyone their new clothes as they would stand out in their terra nova wardrobe and fatigues.

"What did I miss?" Kate asked joining the conversation as she felt light headed but better than she did a few minutes ago.

"You ID won't get you through the Sector gates. So you're probably better off staying in this sector. Also when you are outside try and not draw attention to yourself. Your ID works for public transport but if you are flagged down by a sector cop you're done. It's best you stay in this sector" Mira said to Kate, she handed out ID cards to them.

"Ok, not like I even know where I am or where to go" Kate said.

"Never been to Chicago?" Jim asked.

"No but I hear you can get a mean hot dog" Kate said.

"Not in this day and age. Food shortages the city is eating ration cubes" Guzman said.

"Yummy" Kate replied dryly.

"Why do we have to move?" Maddy asked.

"Some private security company is looking for us. Well Sheriff and the Commander in particular along with sketchy descriptions of the rest of us. but it's enough to go by if we are all standing around in a group. A surveillance camera that still functions in this part of town picked us up as we left the alley" Mira told her.

"I recommend we keep the plex and the sensor gear with us but weapons and everything else will have to be stashed here. The area is being roughed up by a security team looking for you sir. Not Military some sort of private security company, they have a Phoenix insignia" Guzman said.

"Ok" Taylor nodded as he reluctantly undid his shoulder holster and pulled the gun and holster off placing it into one of the duffel bags with their old clothing.

At least Mira had gotten clothing in the right size, black jeans and steel blue t-shirt and a good quality leather jacket. Jim was wearing same black jeans and green shirt with a hoodie and another leather jacket but in a different style to Taylors.

Kate was wearing a pair of grey skinny jeans with a navy hoodie with grey tank top and a long grey scarf wrapped around her neck several times her hair was out of its ponytail and carefully tucked into the scarf, she hoodie over her head covering her face and the colour of hair. She pulled the long sleeves down so they covered her hands. Maddy was in similar attire just different colours, maroons and dark blue jeans.

"My 'friend' and I use that term loosely informed me of where my daughter is. I think our best option is to split up into pairs" Mira said.

"Maddy you go with Kate" Jim said.

"What?" Maddy asked she had assumed she would go with her father.

"Whoever these people that are looking for us. Know to look for me and Taylor. You're safer with Kate and plus she needs a knowledgeable guide" Jim said as he saw the panic in his daughter's eyes at not wanting to be separated. He didn't want to leave her side but he also didn't want her picked up by the police or whoever was looking for them.

"He's right" Taylor told Maddy. He looked to Jim "Jim, you're with me. Guzman you're with Mira. Kate with Maddy. We'll split up go separate ways to lay low, we have less chances of being discovered separately. Keep in contact every two hours between those hours keep them switched off as they can be traced" Taylor explained a specific code they should always use before they make contact and three safe words for if they are in trouble or about to be captured so they wouldn't be lured into traps.

"Kate, here's more Antihistamines the shot I gave you should last 48 hours but just in case" Mira said as she handed her the small container of pills and a couple small bricks of money.

"Thanks, I guess we'll see you all back here in 46 hours" Kate said as she halved the bricks giving some to Maddy to carry and squaring the rest away on her person. She and Maddy said their goodbyes and left the building from a side entrance as they had decided to stagger their departure.

* * *

"Two female targets left the building. Calloway, Hendrix they are heading your direction. Remember we want them alive and preferably unharmed" Doherty said into his comm to his men. Mr Russell wanted the group alive and brought to the new Hope plaza where all 'Terra Nova' projects were being researched.

"_Copy that" _Calloway replied._  
_

"We will wait for the other four to exit and pick them up one by one." Doherty said as he read his life signs detector hiding in the shadows across the street. He knew it was going to be an easy pick up and relished something to do than patrolling the building like everyday security teams. He like the others were ex special forces they needed a little excitement in their lives and today they were going to get it.

* * *

"Try to relax Maddy" Kate said as she looped her arm around Maddy's pulling the girl close as they walked down the street. She could help but notice how deserted the streets were for 7pm at night with exception of a few homeless people. Kate kept her eyes scanning the area as she had a bad vibe, it wasn't until they passed a homeless bum that she noticed his shoes. She frowned as they were military boots, that didn't bother her except for how polished and not scuffed they were. She glanced over her shoulder and saw him mumble to himself. She looked around trying to see what they were being led into so she changed their direction and pulled out her comm. unit and started typing.

"We aren't supposed to be check in for another hour" Maddy reminded her.

"We are being watched right now, I think whoever is looking for us has gotten lucky" Kate said in a low voice to her as she sent a message 'Position Compromised. E&E'. She just hoped it wasn't too late. She pocketed her comm.

"What about the others?" Maddy asked.

"I sent word. If they get caught we'll figure something out don't worry. Give me the backpack with the gear" Kate told her, Maddy passed the back she had been carrying to Kate. "Just act cool and be ready to run like a bat out of hell" she told Maddy.

* * *

"I have the targets in sight, don't worry boys we got this one" Calloway said over his comm. to his team. He smiled and rolled his eyes at Hendrix as they got the easy job. The two women come towards them were tiny little things in comparison to them. He wished they had two guys to beat on but he drew the short straw as two stepped out of the shadows in front of the two women in their sector police outfits.

"Hold up there ladies. Hoods down and let's see some ID" Calloway said in an authortative tone. The two women looked freaked ut at him coming from the shadows but relieved as he was in a uniform.

"What's the problem officer?" the one in a navy hoodie asked innocently as she and her friend pulled down their hoods. He now had a better look of her red hair and grey eyes with pale skin that was slightly red from an allergy as he saw the hives slowly disappearing. The other had dark brown hair and brown eyes with an lightly tanned complexion.

"There was a quarantine put on this sector an hour ago. Now ID" Calloway said he motioned for Hendrix to take the woman in the Maroon hoodie. He liked redheads and this one looked ready to be a handful. The redhead handed him a card. He barely took the card from her hand when she kicked him hard in the groin hard and disarmed him of his gun while he fell to his knees in pain.

"Should of said 'please' you Drongo" was the last thing he heard before the woman smashed him in the face with his gun.

* * *

Kate turned to Maddy and watched as she took care of the soldier with a more complicated combo of punches and throwing the man to the ground knocking him unconscious.

"Damn girl!" Kate said admiring Maddy's skill as she fleeced the comm. unit from the soldier she had attacked. She put the ear piece in her ear and heard the chatter. She looked around at the moving shadows and grabbed Maddy's arm. "Ok time to run" she told Maddy.

* * *

"I thought we said to stay in contact every hour-" Jim read his comm. as did everyone else.

"Damnit looks like my 'friend' sold us out. ID's won't work, we are screwed even if we make it out this building" Mira said as she typed a reply to Kate telling her not to use their ID's.

"Tell them to 'Go to Ground and ditch their comm'." Taylor told Jim who was also furiously typing. Their day was not going well.

"It's lucky they have the gear, Kate and Maddy have a better chance out there then we do here" Guzman said as he looked out the battered curtain. "I count five people on the ground and that's what we can see"

"What are we going to do?" Mira asked.

"Split up like we planned but Jim and I'll take the sewers. There should be an access tunnel in the basement" Taylor said.

* * *

_"Calloway and Hendrix are down, we are in pursuit of the two targets"_

"Damnit, ok listen we are going to storm the castle boys. Get into position, remember we want them alive" Doherty said as he looked to his second and wondered how two of his men were beaten up by two women.

* * *

Kate pulled Maddy into a side alley and kicked in a door to another abandoned building she pushed Maddy in and closed the door behind them. They were both completely out of breath, Kate leaned against the door and pressed her ear to the door listening to the outside while listening to the chatter in the ear comm.

"I'm shaking"

"It's the adrenalin don't worry it'll pass." Kate said as she listened to the comm chatter and typed off messages to Taylor and the others. Letting them know the building was being stormed.

"I can't believe I kicked ass" Maddy said as she looked at her shaky hands, she did all the training but never thought in the moment she could use it.

"Yeah you did me proud. Kind of made me look bad for going for the cheap shots" Kate said tongue in cheek. She held her finger to her lips motioning they be quiet as the incessant chatter told her the men searching for them were running up the street they had been on before making their detour.

* * *

"Looks like we are all taking a trip down to the basement, we better hurry we have 5 seconds before the building is stormed" Taylor said as the four of them were running down the stairs as quickly as they could but not fast enough as they heard soldier's storm the building. They had pulled their sonic rifles from the vent and put it on a low setting.

* * *

Terra Nova,

Alicia with Reynolds help packed away the plex screens in the command centre. Reynolds and Reilly had already done all the heavy lifting and moving tables and chairs to one side of the room and tying them down so the wind wouldn't be able to pick them up. If the storm turned out to be an extreme event. The storm clouds had already started to roll in looking rather dark and brooding.

"Ma'am where will you be during the storm?" Reynolds asked, she squashed her ire at Reynolds' awkwardness in asking and how his eyes drifted to her stomach. She knew he was only showing concern but it really annoyed her that people believed she had lost half a brain or something and had forgotten she was pregnant.

"The infirmary, don't worry Baz is making sure all the windows are boarded up nice and tight. It will be the tertiary shelter for the stragglers and the two patients Elisabeth isn't ready to move" Alicia told Reynolds.

"Yes Ma'am" Reynolds said as he and Reilly continued to work, Elisabeth appeared at the door with a concerned expression on her face.

"Any word from the others?" Elisabeth asked as she came into the room.

"No, I've sent them several messages. Malcolm believes the storm may have already hit them or there is magnetic interference from what they were going to investigate. They'll be alright. It's safer in the jungle than here as we'll feel the brunt of this storm as we are out in the open." Alicia assured her.

"Well I guess they do have Mira, she has lived in the jungle for many years" Elisabeth said more to convince herself that they would be ok.

"Exactly, they are good at beating the odds" Alicia said.

* * *

In 2149,

"What's happening?" Maddy asked in a low voice as she had caught her breath. Now her heart was pumping out of fear of being captured and for her father and the others still in the building. Kate was listening to the action on the comm. units and been giving Maddy updates except for the past 2 minutes she had been silent. The silence was killing her.

"Taylor and the others have been captured alive with minor injuries on both sides. They are taking them back to the base. Wherever that is" Kate said with a sigh as she pulled out the ear comm. and her comm. unit, she dropped it to the floor stomping them to pieces.

"Why did you do that?!" Maddy exclaimed.

"Relax, they can track our comm. units you should do the same to yours. If we destroy them they'll have more trouble finding us" Kate said, Maddy dropped her comm. unit and stomped on it.

"Ok what now?" Maddy asked.

"We hang here for a few hours as the soldier's whoever they are have lost us." Kate told her as she opened the back pack and pulled out a flashlight turning it on to inspect where they were. She started looking around and realised it was an abandoned restaurant and they were in the back area before the kitchens and the restaurant floor. It had been completely ransacked and by the layer of dust and filthy of shelving the place had been closed for years.

"It should be safe and once they figure we've left the area they'll move on. We can use the time to figure something out" Kate said as she and Maddy moved through the restaurant. Thunder sounded making Kate search for movement.

"Storms are pretty frequent" Maddy explained.

"Right, I hate this whole ghost town thing" Kate said as she found a set of stairs going to another level. When they reached it she found it was a large room filled with broken tables and chairs scattered around. She pointed the torch at the ground and moved to the window opening the tattered curtain to the side to peak outside. It was a good vantage point as she could see the whole street. She pulled up a stool and perched on it so she could keep an eye on the street. She looked to Maddy who was standing around not sure of what she should do.

"Pull up a stool opposite me and keep an eye in that direction while we talk this out situations" Kate told her, Maddy nodded and did as Kate told her to.

* * *

Terra Nova,

"The storm is coming in faster than the techs predicted" Reynolds said as he walked down the stairs of the command centre next to Alicia. The clouds were dark and thunder was sounding at a regular pace, the wind had also picked up dramatically as the stairs they were walking down were swaying slightly in the wind.

"Ok, Reynolds you and the other soldiers start getting the civilians into the shelters. I'll be in the infirmary setting up the plex screens in Doctor Shannon's office as a temporary command centre. Also make sure all the scientists are accounted for. I want everyone in the shelters in the next hour. Dismissed" Alicia told him.

"Yes Ma'am" Reynolds said as he snapped to attention and left her to go on with his job. Alicia headed towards the infirmary, she took one last look up at the sky hoping Taylor and the others were alright.

* * *

In 2149,

Taylor sat in a white nondescript interrogation room with a metal table and two chairs. One of which he was seated in not feeling incredibly comfortable. He didn't know what happened to the others except they were in the building somewhere. He looked at the two way mirror noting the blood on his face from the head wound he had sustained in the fight.

The only door into the room opened and Taylor sat in his chair and watched in surprise and Clayton Russell came into the room. He hadn't seen the man in over 13 years when he retired from the Army as Colonel. He had changed a lot his hair greyer, he wore a well tailored suit and walked like a man with a lot of power.

"Taylor, long time" Clayton said with a smile as he held out his hand. Taylor took the hand and shook it as he thought it best to play along.

"Clayton, you look well" Taylor said.

"Thank you, I was shocked to see you in 2150 I thought you'd be in Terra Nova"

"I'm not entirely sure how I ended up here myself but yet here I am" Taylor said sticking to the story he and the others agreed on. They would pretend they had no clue how they got here and not acknowledge Kate or Maddy if they were thrown into the mix in the hopes they would be cut loose as civilians in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then they would plan their escape. They first needed to play stupid and assess their situation and where they were being held. Taylor hoped they would all be interrogated then shafted into one room where they could exchange information.

"Walk me through it." Clayton said.

"One moment I was out with my men and Mira looking at the old site where we had the Terminus and next standing in 2149" Taylor said.

"There were two other people with you. Two women" Clayton prompted.

"They were in the alleyway when we arrived. They didn't come from my end" Taylor said.

"But they helped you? Then proceeded to escape the net we set out to catch them. I have two men in the infirmary with broken bones" Clayton said. _Only two, Kate must be slipping…_ Taylor thought his face staying neutral as he betrayed nothing.

"Chicago is a dangerous city" Taylor offered.

"Indeed, especially outside the dome. It's good to see you again" Clayton said smiling at Taylor like old friends seeing one another again. Taylor couldn't help but be suspicious of that friendship as he was in an interrogation room instead of an office being offered a drink. The lack of hospitality spoke volumes.

"I have to say I was planning this trip home but you think I'll be able to get out of this room and stretch my legs?" Taylor asked.

* * *

"James Robert Shannon. Born and raised Chicagoan, Police officer for the last 20 years until you broke the population control regulations and assaulted the officers searching your housing. You broke out of Golad Prison, stowed away to Terra Nova. Came back and destroyed Hope Plaza with a bomb killing over 60 people and injuring a few hundred not to mention the damage to the city property. Now tell me how did you manage this feat?" The man sitting opposite Jim asked as he placed a plex on the table between them. Jim tried not to rise to the bait the interrogator had dangled out there. Infering that he was a terrorist to make him angry insulting his patriotism, Jim knew he had to keep his cool.

"I don't know how I got here" Jim said plainly.

"Are you here to contact your terrorist cell?" the man asked.

"I don't have a terrorist cell, because I am not a terrorist" Jim said.

"Right, so blowing up Hope Plaza was just a misfortunate accident? You just accidently set off a bomb before accidently running back through the fracture before it collapsed. Because we have footage of it all and we will happily overlook it all if you tell us how you got here. Otherwise you'll be locked away for a very long time in a very dark hole" the man told him.

* * *

Mira stood in a large office with a window overlooking the city dome. After the van they had been transported in had come to a halt the four of them had immediately been separated. She had expected to be thrown into a cell or an interrogation room not brought to the large office of Clayton Russell who was apparently an ex-soldier turn entrepreneur who had money in philanthropic ventures along with the revival of the Terra Nova project.

The door opened and Mira turned to see Clayton Russell the man in all the photos in the office shaking hands with important people. They had only met once when he recruited her for the Phoenix Group's mission. He was a silent member of the group using a representative to do all his dealings thus he wasn't killed in the explosion that killed the other backers.

"Miss Boisseau, a pleasure to see you again. Do take a seat" Clayton said as he gestured to the guest chair opposite his desk.

"I prefer to stand" Mira said eyeing him with caution as she wanted to be sure she wasn't falling into another bad situation.

"So be it. Can I offer you a drink?" he asked as he poured himself a glass of whisky. Mira shook her head as she folded her arms and moved to the window and looked out at the beautifully preserved buildings and the slightly polluted air as rich people went about their days. A second later, Clayton joined her with his drink. "I was surprised that you made it back and overjoyed as this means the fracture isn't collapsed or destroyed. Tell me how did you get back here? the fracture is supposed to untethered" he said.

"I wouldn't know. One moment I was in Terra Nova the next I was here" Mira told him.

"Ok that's a common theme I'm hearing. So tell me about the two other women in the group that slipped my security team."

"I don't know them. They were in the alleyway we appeared" Mira said sticking to the story. She would have sold Taylor and the others down the river but Kate was tied into their fates so if she screwed them Kate would be screwed. One woman who had a way of coming back from the dead and making a person sorry they were alive. She was not going to mess with Kate.

"Really, so you are on their side now? Even though I have been raising your daughter Sienna and providing everything else you asked for her since you left?"

"I did my end of the job, it's not my fault your army was inadequate to the task. Now I want to see my daughter" Mira demanded.

"She's on her way now. Tell me how you got here again? in more detail." he said.

"Taylor and the others wanted to look at the old site where the Terminus used to be to clear out the foliage that had grown through the area. Dr Wallace has repaired the Terminus and Lucas wants to attempt opening the fracture. I'm not a scientist so I don't know how I got here. Like I said before one moment I was there and the next I was here" Mira said.

"Indeed and that is why I believe it's time you received some rewards for your efforts and retired" Clayton said, Mira looked at him.

"what's going to happen with Taylor and the others?"

"They are none of your concern"

"Humour me, you know I won't talk I have my daughter's future to think of" Mira said, Clayton gave a shrug as he saw no harm in telling Mira she was on his pay roll. She knew better than anyone that it was best to stay loyal to those who paid your bills.

"He and the other two men will be kept here for scientific research. Don't worry about them. As for you, you have an 8th birthday party to organise in your new home and life. I'm no longer in need of your services but I do expect to be invited to the party" He said with a smile as he pulled out a small yellow envelope from his inside coat pocket and handed it to her. "You'll find the keys to your new home, ID card and a sizeable bank account to keep you and your daughter very happy in a dome for the rest of your lives." He said.

Mira looked inside the envelope at the too good to be true situation she had landed herself into. It felt like a trap which made her wonder what Clayton Russell was up to. It was all too easy. She pocketed the envelope taking it at face value as she only needed his trust for the next 48 hours. Once she found Kate and Maddy they would plan a way to rescue the others and get the hell out of 2150.


	24. Chapter 24

"Come on Maddy you have a brilliant brain" Kate said as she continued to keep an eye on the street there was no movement or any sign of the men who were after them. They had spent the last couple of hours or so talking about time rifts and how they got to 2149 or 2150 as they hadn't seen a calendar. Rain fell from the sky if you could call the black transparent liquid falling on the windows water. It had been raining for most of the time along with lightning and thunder.

"I don't know- unless…" Maddy drifted off as a thought came to her.

"Unless?" Kate prompted.

"When we pass through the portal it leaves a molecular signature in our body. What if that signature in our body allows us to cross over from here to Terra Nova?" Maddy said as she got up from her chair and started pacing unlike Kate, Maddy had difficulties sitting still for more than half an hour at time. Sitting for long hours just watching was an occupational habit for Kate from her former life.

"If that's true then we can get back" Kate said.

"But Mira's Daughter can't because she hasn't crossed over to Terra Nova or vice versa. She hasn't got the signature. We'd still have to get them out of wherever they are being held as well" Maddy said deflating somewhat at the thought.

"One thing at a time, what we need now is to find someone here who can help us. Do you know anyone?" Kate asked as she looked at Maddy and realised what a stupid question it was as Maddy wouldn't know anyone here sketchy enough to help them. "Ok forget I asked that" Kate said.

"Yeah you have the wrong Shannon. Maybe Josh would know someone like that but not me" Maddy said with a chuckle.

"I don't know I think I'd prefer you over your brother-" Kate stopped and looked at Maddy with a smile.

"What?" Maddy asked.

"Alicia's Brother" Kate said as it gave them someone in this timeline for them to go to for help.

"Lt Washington has a brother?" Maddy asked.

"Yes, they are estranged, he liked to make money through less than savoury means and she tried to make him go on the straight and narrow. Apparently he didn't like her interfering or something like that and walked away." Kate said as she racked her brain for his name.

"So you think he'd help us? How would we even contact him?" Maddy asked.

"Public phone?" Kate said.

"You need an ID card that's not ours" Maddy reminded her.

"Evan Washington that's his name and as for the ID situation I'll swipe one off a stranger at a hotel or a bar this sector can't be all empty warehouses, we'll just wait out the rain" Kate said with a shrug. Maddy looked at her as though Kate had grown a second head but wasn't about to argue with the plan as she didn't have a better one.

* * *

Terra Nova,

In the Infirmary.

"Reynolds what's your sitrep?" Alicia asked as she was perched on a stool in Elisabeth's office setting up the video links to the screen so she knew what was going on outside.

"All civilians are accounted for and in the shelters with exception of Dr Haynes and Dr Wallace" Reynolds said who came into the infirmary a moment ago. The wind was blowing a gale now and the rain pelting hard. Alicia gave an exasperated sigh as she pulled out her comm.

"Malcolm Wallace, come in" she said in to comm.

_"I'm here" _Malcolm replied.

"Where are you?" Alicia asked in a mockingly calm voice when she really wanted to shout and scream at the man but with Zoe in the room she thought better of acting aggressively.

"_Secondary research labs_"

"The storm is getting stronger, get your ass and Dr Haynes to the Infirmary ASAP" She told him politely as she could.

"_On our way_"

Over in the Secondary Research labs,

"Dr Wallace we can't leave these animals alone here. They are in distress" Dr Haynes said. Malcolm rolled his eyes as the woman didn't give two shakes about the animals she was just too afraid to go outside and ruin her hair.

"We are, this is not a shelter and the animals will be distressed whether we are here or not. Now come on" Malcolm told Haynes. He had spent the better half of the last few hours prying his scientists from the labs and making them go to the shelters. He understood their reticence in leaving their work but there were protocols to be followed. The sounds of the wind whistling through the creaks of the building and debris and rain hitting the building increased it made him nervous as he'd rather be in a shelter right not than in the research lab with Haynes of all people. He was worried about Kate out in the jungle with the others in this storm.

He moved to the door and tried to open it to find the force of the wind too strong. He turned to Haynes "Come on help me" he told her, she looked reluctant and jumped at the noise of thunder booming around them before she moved to his side and tried to push but it was too strong. A sudden gust pushed the doors inward and the force of it threw them both backwards.

Malcolm fell backwards and slipped hitting the back of his head hard on the corner of the lab table. He blacked out immediately and fell the floor in a heap. Haynes fell straight onto the floor as well but thanks to her short stature saved her from the same fate as Malcolm.

She looked to Malcolm beside her and saw the pool of blood forming on the floor, she had been about to reach for him when she heard the buckling of wood and steel between the roaring wind and thunder. She looked outside the open door and saw large pieces of debris flying around. Fear and self preservation over took her as she didn't want to die and she scrambled for cover under a solid desk just before part of the ceiling collapsed and the room filled slowly destroyed itself under the force of the storm.

* * *

2150,

Evan Washington heard the pounding on the front door and looked at the clock on his bedside table groaning as it was 10pm he had spent an exhausting evening chasing his 5 year old son and 2 year old daughter around their cramped two bedroom apartment before putting them to bed at 7:30 before getting down to a few hours of work. He wanted to sleep and knew the pounding would not stop and probably wake up the kids. So he pulled the blanket off himself and pulled on a bathrobe before he moved to the door.

"I'm here just a moment" he said loudly enough so who ever was knocking would stop. The pounding stopped and he pulled a sonic pistol he owned for protection from his safe. No one came to his home without calling first and he knew home invasions were rife as food shortages had hit Chicago even the domes weren't safe anymore. He looked through the peephole and saw a beautiful redhead standing at the door with her rebreather down around her neck. She seemed to know he was watching her as she smiled and gave a wave.

He opened the door keeping the security chain in place, he looked through the gap at the woman, keeping the pistol out of sight behind the door.

"Evan Washington? Brother of Alicia Washington?" she asked.

"Yes, can I help you?" he asked.

"I hope so, may we come in?" She asked as she gestured to her other friend another young woman. He wondered is this was some sort of trick to rob him. But then she knew about his sister something that wasn't public knowledge.

"Who are you?" he asked, Kate looked at the 6 ft tall man with the same hair colour and eye colouring as Alicia. They even had the same nose but that was where the similarities ended. She looked to the mirror he had on the wall behind him and saw the pistol in his hand. She tilted her head to the side and focused back on his face.

"A friend of your sister's" Kate said, she took his momentary shock to her advantage and stepped back kicking the door hard, the security chain snapped and she rushed at Evan within seconds she had his gun and pressed him face forward into the same mirror with one of his arms locked around his back.

"This how you greet all your sister's friends?" she asked as she pointed the pistol at his head.

"My sister is in Terra Nova had been for over 10 years and has no friends outside the military. You're too young to know her" Evan said as he watched from his peripherals a young woman rush into the apartment and close the door.

"It's a long story but I'd appreciate you hearing us out than trying to kill us" Kate told him.

"Dada?" Kate heard a little girl say in a sleepy voice, Kate immediately released Evan she tucked the weapon into the back of her pants and put her hands up in surrender. As Evan looked at her with wary eyes for a moment if the woman wasn't a friend she would have had no qualms going for his daughter.

"Olive, what you doing out of bed baby girl?" Evan asked her as he quickly moved to his two year old daughter Olivia and picked her up in his arms.

"I'm sorry, did we wake you up?" Kate asked Olivia in a kind voice. Olivia nodded her head shyly before hiding her face in her neck.

"You should put her back to bed. I promise we aren't here to steal anything or harm you. We need your help" she told him, her demeanour was completely nonthreatening even though she had his gun. Something told him even without the gun she was dangerous so it made no difference.

"You have my gun" he told her as he held onto Olivia in a protective manner. He watched as the woman pulled the gun slowly from her back and dismantled it in a matter of seconds. He knew she was of military background as she dismantled the weapon like it was second nature, she didn't even look at the weapon as she dismantled it which was frightening. She handed him the component that made the weapon lethal without it the gun was nothing but a paperweight.

"We'll share it" She told him in a smart arse tone he normally would have smiled at but not tonight. Evan took the part she handed him something told him even without the gun this woman was dangerous. It took him 15 minutes to get Olivia back to sleep in her bed before he quickly checked on his 5 yr old son Sean. The kid slept like a rock in comparison to Olivia. Once he felt they were safe he left the room closing the door.

"Let's start this again" the woman said, she held out her hand, "My name is Kate Renshaw, this is Maddy Shannon"

A knock sounded at the door. Kate and Maddy looked at one another "go round the corner" Kate told her in a low voice, Maddy nodded disappearing out of sight and looked at Evan with a sweeping gesture of her arm "Please open the door" she said.

Evan opened the door to find his neighbour Mr Keenan said he was short and stocky man, ex military in his late 60's. He was a great neighbour as he often helped babysit his kids when Evan couldn't get a sitter on the weekend and needed to work.

"Evan heard some loud noises is everything alright?" he asked as he tried to peer around the door Kate opened the door.

"Hi, I'm so sorry I'm afraid the noises were my fault. I was so excited in seeing Evan after all these years I kinda just pounced on him and disaster ensued. I'm such a klutz." Kate said with an awkward yet apologetic smile that even Evan could forgive her. "I'm Kate by the way" she said offering her hand out to him.

"Greg Keenan next door neighbour"

"Pleasure and I promise no more weird noises"

"I just wanted to make sure everything is ok" Mr Keenan said as he smiled at her he gave a raised eyebrow at Evan.

"Of course it is" Evan said.

"Do you want to come in for coffee?" Kate asked him being incredibly friendly, she knew with her thick Australian accent the old man wouldn't think twice about her being an intruder.

"Where did you get coffee in this economy?" Mr Keenan asked.

"I'm a sous chef, sometimes my bosses pay me with food and coffee beans" She said with a shrug.

"Well as much as I'd like to my bed is calling" Mr Keenan said as he gave Evan the eyes that said 'She's a good looking woman, should get on that or under it' as the old man said it wouldn't hurt for Evan to get out once and a while with people his own age and of the female variety. "Have a good evening" he told them.

"We will, night Mr Keenan" Evan said.

"Night" Kate said before closing the door. Once the door was closed her smiled dropped and she gave an exhaled of slight relief.

"Do you really have coffee because he's going to be back in the morning" Evan told her. Kate nodded.

"Yeah real Robusta coffee beans. It's rude to show up empty handed when visiting a friend" She told him as she moved to the lounge room and sat down on the couch. It was the first time he noticed how fatigued the two appeared to be as Maddy joined her on the couch.

"You're my friend now?" he asked sceptically as he sat in the one seater chair looking at them.

"I will be" Kate told him, the way she said made it sound like a promise than just a throw away line. He watched as she opened a waterproof backpack and pulled out a paper bag tossing it to him. He opened it and took a deep inhale enjoying the delicious aroma of fresh coffee beans. He had to admit he wouldn't mind having a friend who could get real coffee.

* * *

Terra Nova,

Alicia paced the infirmary feeling entirely too nervous. Malcolm wasn't answering her hails and neither was Haynes. They hadn't checked into any of the designated shelters. The storm was in full swing outside.

"Calm down" Elisabeth told Alicia as she was playing dinosaurs with Zoe at her desk. Alicia had up all the camera feeds for Terra Nova watching the destruction of half the secondary research labs as some steel beams had snapped through their restraints and made a mess of the nearby houses and the labs. The stair cases to the Command Centre had been completely blown away and she was sure it would take a few weeks for all the debris from the plant life to be cleaned up and all other damage was superficial. So far anyway, they were lucky as the techs said the storm wouldn't last longer than a couple of hours. So far storms like this one only happened once every two or three years all the others storms were regular thunder and lightning.

"He hasn't checked in"

"He's probably chasing the monkey around before it tries to go after Kate" Elisabeth said.

"No he's next door safe and completely depressed Kate isn't here. I just hope he isn't in the storm, it's bad enough the others are in the storm" Alicia said as she took a seat at the desk. She picked up one of the dinosaurs Zoe had on the table and looked at it for a moment before placing it back on the table.

"Well running a hole in my floor is not going to make any of it easier. Relax there's nothing to be done but to wait. You said it before" Elisabeth told her.

"You're right" Alicia said rubbing her stomach unconsciously as she felt the twins move around. She made a mental note to call Malcolm every 15 minutes until he answered.

* * *

In 2150,

"Let me get this straight. You came from Terra Nova through a time rift and your friends were taken by some secret police but you escaped and now you want me to find them and the location they are being held so you two can break them out?" Evan said as he listened to Kate explain her situation.

She even said about how she remembered him from Alicia talking about him and how he had some less than savoury means to help people as they needed to stay under the radar. He hadn't corrected them on his lifestyle changes yet as he thought it best to play stupid and hear her out before correcting her. The coffee beans helped his dispostion about breaking his door and their first few minutes of meeting one another as he hadn't had a real cup of coffee in over a year.

"We have money to pay you for all your troubles" Kate said.

"I'm not in that racket anymore-" He started only to be cut off.

"Not even for ten large?" Kate asked.

"Ten large?" he said as if she spoke a different language. He found she used a lot of idioms and figures of speech he didn't understand. He brushed it off as she had an Australian accent and figured it was a cultural thing.

"Ten thousand dollars" Kate clarified. He wanted to laugh at the offer as he made 8 times that much at his job but he knew what she was looking for and he could help her.

"Tempting but I want a ticket back to Terra Nova with my two kids" He said, he was scheduled to go through on the 16th pilgrimage but if he could get there sooner he'd help her as his daughter Olivia was suffering from asthma and allergies to certain toxins in the air. He wanted both his children to grow up in a healthier world. He noticed the hives on the woman's neck and knew she was probably suffering just like his daughter did when she went outside.

"That could be difficult but we can do it" Kate drawled apprehensively.

"Ok, then I'll help you which is lucky for you as I work for Hayashi Industries. If your friends have been picked up they'd be sent there to be under quarantine." he said.

"Hayashi Industries" Kate said as she looked to Maddy. He noted how Kate looked to Maddy a girl no older than 17 for information. He kept his curiosity to himself.

"Big American-Japanese Company that funds the Terra Nova Project for its scientific advances in technology and medical research, Dr Wallace's equipment and scientists are paid by them. They were the first company to produce Rebreather technology" Maddy supplied.

"They have a partnership with Russell Corporation to reopen the Fracture. It's what we've…my team and I have been trying to do. To find a way to anchor the fracture and reopen the portal to Terra Nova this past year" He told them.

"Year?" Kate stated looking shocked at the news.

"So there is a time differential between here and Terra Nova" Maddy said her eyes going wide at that news. Evan looked confused at them as to why they looked so shocked and deflated at the news.

"That's problematic to going home in the next 24 hours or so" Kate said to her.

"What are you two talking about?" Evan asked.

"Like I said before Maddy has a theory we slipped through a temporal rift between your timeline and ours. The fracture was untethered and thought destroyed over 8 months ago. Terra Nova time" Kate clarified. She looked to Maddy who pulled out a hand held plex.

"Temporal rift?" Evan asked, Maddy explained that they were investigating an anomalous energy reading and showed him the equipment and the recorded Data she had. She told him how one moment they were in Terra Nova and next back here.

"I've seen this before but you're right we call them 'fracture reappearances' but it's impossible for you to be able to pass through them" Evan said.

"If it were impossible we wouldn't be here" Kate said gesturing to herself and Maddy.

"These exact readings have been showing up all over Chicago in a 20 km radius of the old hope plaza. In populated areas as well as unpopulated. I walked right through one myself I was uninjured and didn't go anyway" Evan said Kate and Maddy exchanged looks.

"It could be unidirectional, which means we are stuck" Maddy said.

"Or maybe we are different like we discussed earlier." Kate said.

"What do you mean?" Evan asked feeling like he was being left out of the conversation again.

"When we passed through the portal the time travel left a molecular signature in our bodies. We supposition that it's that signature that allows us to pass through and hopefully back but if that's true you and your kids won't be able to because you haven't got the signature thing in you" Kate said.

"I could produce a serum using a blood sample from one of you" Evan said Kate raised a sceptical eyebrow at him "I have a double degree in Biomedical science and science" he told them.

"Not the screw up we were led to believe. Here I thought you were the Janitor for Hayashi Industries while on parole" Kate said.

"Actually I'm the head of the R&D department. Our main aim to re-establish the fracture to Terra Nova to continue the pilgrimages, were you not listening earlier?" he said with a smile as his sister had no clue what he had been upto.

"Wow you sounded just like your sister then" Kate said before she continued. "That story they fed you is a lie. Your government wants to use Terra Nova as a pipeline for new resources to make a tidy profit and keep the future going." Kate told him.

"I was promised a position on the 16th Pilgrimage back. I was to establish the new terminus we have in storage through and maintain the fracture on Terra Nova side." He said.

"I'm sorry to burst the dream but that is not going to happen. So if you can make the serum like you say then you, your wife and your kids can come back" Kate said.

"Kids" he corrected.

"Didn't I say Kids?" Kate asked.

"I'm a widower, My wife passed away 2 years ago" he told her and then Kate understood the correction.

"Sorry. Anyway you help us we take you back with us. It's a done deal and hey you can crash at my place until we get you a house in the colonies but first we have to figure out when the fracture will make another appearance. Make a serum and rescue the men" Kate said it as though it was the simple shopping list not a complicated mess frought with disaster.

"Only" Maddy scoffed.

"Yeah, he works for the people which means he knows where Taylor, Guzman, Mira and your father are being held. He needs to make the serum so all we need is a time frame to work within and go from there. So do you think you two can work out when the fracture.. temporal rift whatever will appear again?" Kate asked them.

"It's already done, at my work we had predicted the formations of these events to 97% accuracy I have access to it in my lab at work" Evan told them.

"See one thing down the rest will work itself out" Kate said to Maddy.

* * *

Jim was tossed into a cell room to find Taylor and Guzman waiting for him. He looked around the room noting the one commode and wash basin and the three bunk beds.

"You took your time" Taylor commented.

"I stopped for a cup of coffee and a bagel in the cafeteria" Jim said as he rubbed his wrists.

"You all undergo a physical exam?" Taylor asked.

"Yes, I feel violated. Where's Mira?" Jim said.

"Don't know" Guzman said.

"Are we going to have that awkward moment about who gets the top bunk?" Jim asked as they all knew their conversations were being monitored they couldn't exactly talk about what was on their minds.

"You were in last" Taylor said in good humour to say that Jim had no choice in the matter.

"Right, so now what?"

"I don't know, I do know the man at the top but he doesn't seem interested in us except how we got here but we don't know that. What did you get asked?" Taylor asked Jim.

"Talk or be thrown into a deep, dark hole I have 72hours but I have a feeling they are bluffing" he said.

"Or we won't be around that long" Guzman said in a low voice. It was theory all three of them had come to when they were strapped down on a medical table and put through intensive medical scans and blood samples taken a long with bone marrow samples among other things.

"Hopefully we'll catch a break before then" Taylor said.

* * *

Terra Nova,

The wind was slowly dying down but the rain still fell from the sky in sheets. Haynes huddled under the table trembling violently from fear and shock. She was buried with only a desk protecting her. She heard Lt Washington's voice on her comm. She fumbled her pockets and pulled it out with shaking hands.

"Lt Washington?"

_"Haynes? Where are you and Dr Wallace? Are you ok?_"

"In the labs still the ceiling caved in I'm trapped under a desk but I think I'm ok" Haynes said in a small voice as tears streaked down her face.

"_Where's Dr Wallace?_"

"He's dead" Haynes said, Guilt welled up in her as it was her fault for not stopping him from opening the door. Now he was crushed to death under god knows what.

_"Dead? What happened?"_

"We were leaving to go to the shelter and gust of wind came through and he hit his head hard. God there so much blood" Hayes said as she remembered the sight before she scrambled under the desk.

_"Focus Haynes did you check for a pulse?"_

"I couldn't the ceiling came down and I got buried in" she said.

Meanwhile in the infirmary,

Alicia and Elisabeth exchanged looks at the news. Alicia turned to the video feed and mentally smacked herself for not turning to thermal imagining. She did so and saw two heat signatures in the shape of humans and a few animals.

"Ok stay where you are the storm is dying down I'll send a team of combat engineers and soldiers to pull you two out as soon as I can Lt Washington out" Alicia told Haynes. she looked at the video feed of the storm calculating the risk of sending soldiers out there to dig them out before she picked up her comm. and asked for the team to be assembled and ready to go.

* * *

In 2150,

"That's a nasty cough" Evan commented as Kate every once and a while gave a throaty cough. Maddy was asleep in Evan's room as he offered them his bed. Maddy took up the offer after Kate ordered her to do so. When Maddy went to bed Kate had tried to sleep but couldn't. Evan couldn't sleep either so when Kate made a trip into the Kitchen for water to douse her throat in an attempt to stop coughing they started to talk.

At first it was about where he worked he mused how she drilled him for information about the tactical layout of the building's interior and exterior. The security and his work in detail once she exhausted that avenue of conversation silence lapsed between them until he spoke.

"Yeah it's the air" Kate said dismissively.

"I figured from the rash, my wife had it and Olivia has the same thing. Must be a redhead thing" he said as he had gestured to his neck. Kate touched her neck and grimaced as she trying not to scratch it. It wasn't that itchy and she wasn't ready to have another dose of antihistamines until she needed it.

"What did else did my sister tell you about me?" he asked.

"Your favourite colour was blue. You wanted to be a helicopter pilot because your dad thought reading you aviation manuals was a good bedtime story. You hate eating reconstituted protein bars and on your 18th birthday you got completely tanked and stripp-"

"Ok you can stop there" Evan said as he couldn't believe his older sister would tell Kate that story especially the 18th birthday party episode which his sister promised not to tell anyone about when she bailed him out of jail.

"She also said you were the lovable screw up incredibly intelligent but too lazy to utilise it for something worthwhile. Got into trouble with law, blah blah woof woof.. you guys are estranged after a fight she didn't understand what happened and you walked away from her. She tried to make contact with you to mend bridges but you never replied to any of her messages" Kate said as she leaned back into the couch.

"She sent me messages?" Evan asked, he had though his communication was one way as he had sent her many messages through the portal to tell her about the kids and his life. He knew that Taylor said no contact with Alicia but she was 85 million years in the past and he didn't want to die knowing he didn't at least try and true to the Washington legacy he was stubborn and had perseverance in spades as once he put his mind to something he didn't give it up until he got it. Well when he had the motivation and he did. He had kids to look out for.

He hoped that Alicia would become their legal guardian as both his parents and Lena's parents were gone and Lena had been an only child. There was no extended family left. If something happened to him the kids would have nowhere to go and become a ward of the state. If Alicia was their guardian then the kids were guaranteed a ticket to Terra Nova.

"Yeah she sent a whole heap from what she told me. She never gave up sending them hoping one day you'd stop being so stubborn and reply. You never got any of them?" Kate asked as she saw the surprise in his expression at the news.

"No" Evan said.

"Oh, I guess it was dodgy mail service" Kate said, _or it was Taylor_ Evan thought grimly. He knew now was not the time to discussing his past with Commander Taylor especially with Kate. While he found her entertaining he didn't want to divulge his history to her.

"Yeah who knows, I guess I'll just have to hope she'll forgive me when I get back" he mused.

"She will, it was one of her regrets that you wouldn't be around for when her babies grow up and she'll be so happy to see you and meet your kids" Kate assured him. She appeared genuinely honest in her answer, which made him smile until her words sunk in.

"Babies? She has a family?" he asked.

"On the way. She's 24 weeks pregnant with Twins" Kate said.

"Wow" he said.

"Yeah it's been fun" Kate said with a chuckle.

"I'd ask about everything but to be honest I want to hear it from her lips" he said with a smile as he couldn't wait to see his sister.

"That's fine the most important thing you should know is that she is healthy and happy. She does have a wicked temper at the moment but-"

"It's the hormones, I've been around a pregnant woman before" Evan said.

"Of course, how old are your kids?"

"Olivia is 2 and Sean is 5. Do you have any kids?" he asked.

"No, but in the next two years maybe" Kate said with a smile.

"After you get married this guy who gave you no engagement ring?" he asked as he had noticed she wasn't wearing a ring.

"I had ring but it had to be sold so we could get medicine and rebreathers. Anyway Malcolm and I want three kids but he's all about the waiting until we are married. He's a traditionalist" Kate said with a smile as she couldn't wait to leave this horrible time line and go back to Terra Nova and make Malcolm marry her on the spot and go on a honeymoon. There was the old Sixer tree camp she wouldn't mind shacking up in for a few days.

* * *

_TBC- See you all in a week :-)_


	25. Chapter 25

_A/N: HEYA! Thank you all for the reviews as always they make me smile! Now I have to preface I'm not a computer whiz so there is a plot device in this you'll just have to pretend is correct/ exists and is totally awesome! Enjoy!_

* * *

Kate didn't know exactly when she drifted off but when she woke up she found the large plex on the wall was on with some weird cartoon playing and a little boy with dark brown hair and pale complexion sitting next to her leaning his head on her arm eating a biscuit completely enthralled in the show.

She shifted as she was sitting at an odd angle and the boy looked up at her with curious eyes. "Hey, you must be Sean" she said in a low voice to him with a smile. She looked over to see Evan was asleep in the same chair he had been in last night. The little boy was a carbon copy for his father except he had hazel eyes. The boy broke his biscuit in half and offered it to Kate.

"Thanks" Kate said taking the biscuit, she broke off a small bit and ate it. She nearly gagged at how bad it tasted but finished the bit in her mouth. She heard Evan chuckle and she looked to him to see him looking at her. Obviously he saw her face.

"Food shortages. Ration cubes are the only thing on offer at the moment" he told her.

"It's worse than the scrambled eggs in an MRE bag" Kate said over Sean's head. Evan looked at her oddly as he had no clue what an MRE bag was.

"I'll take your word for it. But I agree it's inedible luckily and sadly the kids don't know better, I on the other hand suffer through it" Evan said with a wry smile as he watched his son lean his head on Kate's arm completely at ease. He knew Sean believed Kate was family in some form as she had red hair and pale skin just like his mother otherwise he wouldn't be so comfortable. It made him ache as he wished his kids had more family to depend on and he was also glad Kate was at ease to let his son sit with her without pushing him away.

"Well in the land of honey and milk, you and the kids will be eating real vegetables and fruits and rather strange looking but tasty meats" Kate told him.

"Oh don't be cruel" he said mockingly as he got up from his chair and stretched. "I'm making coffee you want some?" he asked as he got up from his chair and stretched.

"No it's all yours. I actually hate the stuff." she told him, he gave a nod and walked into the kitchen. Kate looked down at Sean.

"Tell me do you speak?" she asked Sean, he looked up at her and smiled nodding. Evan watched as Kate proceeding asking his son in several different languages which one he spoke and making faces making his son laugh until she stopped at French as Sean stood up on the couch excited at being able to practice. He was learning it in day care along with Mandarin, they believed the younger the child learned another language the better. Kate laughed and spoke in French to his son. Evan smiled and went to making coffee, he understood Mandarin as he spent a few years in Beijing but French was Lena's suggestion as her parents were French.

"I'm gonna call you frog legs if you keep this up" Evan heard Kate say to Sean in a teasing tone.

"I'm not a frog but I have legs" Sean said in English Kate chuckled. He was about to turn see what was happening when he felt someone tug on his pant leg he looked down and saw a sleepy Olivia looking up at him. She held out her arms in a 'pick me up' motion and made noises that he translated to meaning 'pick me up daddy', he smiled as he picked her up.

"Hey Olive, how you doing?" he asked as he kissed her forehead. The little girl yawned and tucked her face in his neck as he went back to making coffee. Olivia was not a morning person, she got up early but never happily it took her a good ten minutes to wake up and then she'd be hungry like clockwork, just like her mother.

He felt Olivia move her head when she heard the laughing from couch. He turned around to see Kate playing with Sean and his toys, he was trying to teach her the finer points of reptangles. Lego but in the shape of turtles, Kate obviously was not putting the pieces together the way Sean wanted.

A knock sounded at the door and Evan wondered if Mr Keenan could smell the coffee beans brewing because the smell was heavenly.

When he pulled open the door he found an African American woman in her late thirties dressed in dark denim and leather jacket her left arm hung loosely by her side. Blood dripped onto the floor while her right hand and arm was being clutched but a little girl who looked like miniature version of her mother. "Evan Washington, I assume Kate Renshaw is here?" she asked in an exhausted tone.

"Mira?" Kate said from behind Evan he touched his arm "It's ok she's with us" Kate told Evan, he nodded and allowed Mira entrance into his home. He closed the door and turned the lock before he and Olivia went back to the kitchen.

"How did you find us?" Kate asked Mira. She noted the blood droplet on the floor. "What happened to you?"

"Sienna, be a good girl and go sit and read your books" Mira said, the little girl released her mother's hand and went to the couch sitting down as she was told. She looked at Evan appraising him for a moment.

"He's on our side" Kate said before Mira asked.

"My Employer tried to terminate me last night" Mira said as she slowly peeled off her jacket to reveal her upper arm bandaged but with blood seeping through. Kate assumed to be a bullet graze. "My new house got shot up pretty bad."

"And you came here?" Kate asked as Evan left them in the Kitchen to tend to the children for a moment and get a med kit from his bathroom.

"Don't worry I wasn't tracked, after my last meeting I emptied my bank account 6 sectors from my home and removed the tracker in my daughter and myself so we couldn't be tracked. I prefer living without an electronic trail. Anyway Sienna and I were having dinner when my house was made into Swiss cheese. We got out of the house while they were still putting holes in it. Like I said you don't need to worry we weren't followed, I made sure of that"

"So how did you find us?"

"Logic, I figured you would go after family be it Lt Washington's or Taylor's. Taylor has no one here but Lt Washington does. So here I am. You should know my employer Clayton Russell doesn't know about you and Maddy yet but he has Taylor, Guzman and Jim in the laboratories of the New Hope Plaza. I'm sure one of them will crack" Mira told Kate.

"Even if its drug induced, I agree we can't risk it. Luckily I already have an idea but it needs work and I need the schematics of the Hope plaza building and other information I don't have to get it in working order" Kate told her. Mira pulled out a data stick out of her back pocket and handed it to Kate.

"What's this?" Kate asked.

"Everything you need to know to break in, on my way here I procured the information as I knew you wouldn't want to leave the men behind." Mira said.

"Here let me fix that up" Evan said to Mira as he had come back with a med kit. Kate looked to the lounge room to see Maddy with the kids distracting them and making sure they were behaving. Mira gave a nod allowing him to treat her wound.

"Hey Maddy? There a plex over where you are that isn't being used?" Kate asked, Maddy looked around and picked up a spare and brought to Kate.

"You mind?" She asked Evan, he shook his head and Kate turned on the plex and plugged in memory chip and accessed the information. While Evan cleaned and healed Mira's wound with Derma-spray Kate looked over the information.

* * *

Guzman was tossed into an interrogation room after he had spent two demoralising hours being stripped and showered, poked and prodded by scientists and medical technicians before being given white scrubs and his clothes and tags taken away.

He looked at Clayton Russell who sat in a suit looking incredibly smug and comfortable at the metal table and chairs. He played with the corner of a plex.

"Have a seat" Clayton said gesturing to the empty chair opposite him. Guzman sat down and looked at the man in his late 50's with pure disgust as Clayton had traded his honour, dignity, tags and guns for a suit and huge pay check. Any relation between the man Guzman knew a few years ago and the one sitting in front of him were purely coincidental and something to be suspicious of.

"I've spoken with Commander Taylor and Jim Shannon thus it now your turn"

"It's nice know I still rank at the bottom or the ladder. Tell me do I have to worry about my prostate?" Guzman asked sarcastically.

"No, you're in perfect health" Clayton told him.

"Excellent, how many more physicals will I have to have before you let me go?" Guzman asked.

"Let you go?" Clayton said with a laugh, he shook his head "You're not going anywhere" he told Guzman.

"Then could I get my own room?"

"You can if you share information about Terra Nova" Clayton said.

"Oh I think I've shared more than enough with your scientists" Guzman drawled.

"All I want to know is the population, defences and about this woman" Clayton said as he activated the plex and showed a photo of Kate in an old Military photo.

"She's pretty but I don't know her" Guzman said as he looked at the photo feigning interest.

"Please don't insult my intelligence. I know she appeared in Terra Nova over 6 months ago, that she was supposed to be transported back here for scientific study and harvesting. Her medical records are amazing, no DNA degradation from a lifetime in heavy pollution, healthy organs and fertile. I'm told many couples are willing to pay a lot of money for the chance to have a beautiful healthy baby and umbilical cord blood? Oh that would go for millions" Clayton said.

"You'd turn her into a human incubator that's sick" Guzman said disgusted at the man's greed.

"If you're that infatuated with her then I'm sure we can arrange for you to be her breeding partner. You are apparently a very fertile man yourself" Clayton remarked, Guzman made a face of disgust at the notion.

"There's a compliment I didn't need to hear" Guzman said.

"Oh don't pretend the idea hasn't crossed your mind" Clayton drawled, Guzman was tempted to tell Clayton that he knew Kate and he really didn't see her that way. Kate was a beautiful woman he couldn't deny that but that didn't change he had no desire to get naked with said woman and have a child.

"I prefer to have a traditional family where I raise my own children" Guzman said.

"Something you're not doing so well at with your daughter who is 85 million years in the past"

"Which means nothing I tell you will get me what I want. So I have to ask what it is I get from helping you" Guzman said folding his arms, he was never going to give the man any information but it now became imperative that if they got back to the past that they truly destroy the fracture as Clayton would put all the other members of the colony through medicals and use them all as organ donors or worse.

* * *

"So your plan?" Mira asked after an hour passed, Kate had been completely engrossed in the plex while the others ate ration cubes and pretended it was a normal Thursday morning. Evan, Maddy, Kate and Mira were standing in the kitchen while the kids were watching a movie on the large plex screen in the lounge room.

"Ok" Kate said she moved so she was standing opposite Evan, Maddy and Mira in the small kitchen. "Evan here has to make a serum so the kids and he can cross through the temporal rift, that's a long story all you need to know is that it can be done. How much cash do you have?" Kate asked Mira who shot her a questioning look.

"Depends on what you want to do?" Mira asked.

"I'll need legitimate ID, clothing, hair dye and make up for me. I'm too recognisable with this red hair" Kate said grimacing as she really had no desire to dye it. "Also we need a centrifuge and medical gear to siphon blood. Ask him for a list" Kate said gesturing to Evan.

"Siphon blood? What do you need blood for?" Mira asked.

"We need the plasma in my blood to make the serum. So blood donation will be today so tomorrow I'm in fighting shape-" Kate said.

"What are you planning?" Evan asked cutting Kate off.

"An escape, your lab is ten levels above where Taylor and the others are being held. So I'm going to go in with Evan under the guise of being an engineer he's wooing to the company by showing off the facilities and I will plant a virus in this sector of the core computer" Kate said as she flashed the schematics of the building to the others and pointed to different floors.

"What?" Evan said getting lost and also because he didn't think he'd have to play much of a part in it.

"I think you missed out some parts of the plan. Why don't you start from the beginning?" Mira asked.

Kate took a deep breath and started from the beginning of her plan. She told them of how she would go in under the disguise of a prospective employee with Evan, they would play their roles as he gave a tour selling her the benefits of the place while she planted a data stick with a low tech virus into the main core that networked the computers.

The virus would spread and compromise security measures setting off fire alarms and during that time Evan would get the information on where the next three rifts were predicted to form. By which time her nasty virus will have knockout the power systems in the building and thus during the rushed evacuation she and Evan would slip away and Kate would break Taylor and the others out of their cell and get them to the nearest fire exit. The technicians she assumed would be able to restore partial power and security by the time they exited the building giving them a head start to get to their designated cars. Mira and her daughter would be in one car and Maddy and Evan's kids in another.

Evan held his hand up at this point making Kate pause in her telling of what had to be the most insane plan he had ever heard.

"Yes?" Kate said as if she were the teacher of the class.

"Computer virus won't work. The computer malware detectors and firewalls would pick it up in no time and squash it" Evan said.

"Not a low tech worm with teeth circa 21st century. The filters wouldn't recognise it as it's antiquated by your standards" Kate said as though she had an answer to everything.

"Oh and you happen to have one on you?" Evan said incredulously. He was having serious doubts about this woman.

"No, but I know some of the coding for one and Maddy is a genius between the two of us we can cook one up today or would you like me to try and attempt to blow up a whole building?" Kate asked them, she gave a shrug as if to say 'I'm easy with either plan'.

"We could do it" Maddy said Evan and Mira looked at her "The computer virus not the blowing up of the building. It has happened before the computer core crash in 2119 was from an old Trojan horse program that slipped through the filters. If we make our worm with orders to replicate and infect the computers and force malfunctions it would be easy to do and would take the computer techs a while to clean it up even forcing a total shut down of their mainframe and data servers" Maddy said correcting their assumption.

"See, it can be done and this way no one has to die." Kate said.

"Ok so you need medical equipment, an ID and clothing" Mira said.

"You can borrow my wife's clothing" Evan said the women looked at him oddly as he was offering his dead wife's wardrobe.

"You sure?"

"You two are about the same size though she was a bit shorter but same slim frame" Evan said.

"Ok, it'll save money for the other stuff" Kate said she moved to her bag and pulled out a brick of cash and handed it to Mira.

"I'll go out and source your ID and medical equipment along with the makeup and Hair dye. Any colour preference?" Mira asked.

"Brunette and temporary" Kate said, Mira gave a laugh and nodded at the request.

"Ok and if I have any spare money left over I'll buy some food and a rally pack" Mira said to Kate who nodded. "You mind keeping an eye on Sienna?" Mira asked.

"Not a problem. Now, when your guy is making up my background information remember to make sure I have a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering with honours and diploma in languages and what kind of masters would I need?" Kate said looking to Evan who was making a list of what he needed Mira to get for him to make the serum.

"Masters in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics" Evan provided with his list of equipment. Mira looked over the list and gave a nod.

"I'd say copy my personnel file but I don't need someone connecting the dots about me still being around" Kate said.

"Ok" Mira said.

"I'll call in sick saying Olivia is sick. It's not uncommon so they won't suspect anything" Evan said.

"Ok, you alright with all this?" Kate asked him.

"Yeah, it's just a little unreal. I'm not usually into the whole James Bond routine of things but it'll be worth it" Evan said before he turned to the phone at the wall and dialled work.

* * *

A few hours later,

Evan and the kids were playing and having fun, he decided he'd take the day off completely and just be with his kids while Maddy and Kate worked together on making their virus. Mira had gone out leaving her daughter Sienna in their care, the seven year old was a quiet and shy girl it took an hour to coax her in to playing with the others but now they were having a ball playing.

Evan looked to Kate and Maddy even now and then hearing them argue quietly about something not working or something that needed correcting.

"You can't write it like that" Maddy said in a low voice.

"We have to plan for all contingencies" Kate told her.

"But this could-" Maddy started only for Kate to cut her off.

"I know" Kate said firmly. "But it has to be done. There comes a point when it's us or them" Kate told Maddy. The young woman nodded her head reluctantly agreeing. Evan wondered exactly they were planning to do as he knew Kate was keeping a lot of the plan to herself and wondered what she was hiding. Her plans were ludicrous yet Mira and Maddy were going to follow her which meant the woman was known to pull off the impossible. The fact that Mira trusted her daughter with Kate spoke volumes as they weren't exactly the closest of friends.

"How do you even know the coding for that?" Maddy asked.

"Eidetic memory, I was friends with a guy who had this script as a poster in his lounge room. He liked to tell me all about the virus that brought the internet to its knees" Kate told Maddy dramatically as she finished writing out the complex computer coding from memory. Maddy looked over the design of their computer virus in all he life she never believed she would be doing something that could get her executed for treason.

"Relax Maddy, its worst case scenario" Kate told her as if she could read Maddy's guilt and fears at their plan.

A knock sounded at the front door and Evan got up to answer it, Kate looked around the side to see a delivery guy with a dolly trolley with several boxes on it.

"A delivery Kate Shannon?" the guy said, Kate hopped off her seat and walked up to the guy.

"That's me" she said, she really hoped Mira had come up with a more original name than that for her new Alias.

"Good, sign here" he said holding out a plex. Kate scribbled a 'K' and an 'S' before handing it back. She and Evan picked up the boxes and placed them inside the hallway until the trolley was empty.

"Cheers" Kate said.

"Have a good day" the man said before walking away with his trolley in tow. Evan closed the door and looked at the boxes, he recognised the Hayashi insignias on the box. He did want to know how Mira procured the equipment.

"Is this everything?" Kate asked as she opened a box and lifted out a microscope, she inspected it like a curious child before putting it back in the box.

"Looks like it. We'll put it in my bedroom away from the kids" Evan said as he lifted one of the boxes. It took them about an hour to unpack and set everything up.

"Ok, shall we raid the closet for your new outfit?" Evan asked as he moved to the wardrobe and opened it up to his wife's side. After two years he still didn't have the heart or will to empty the clothes out. Part him believed if he kept it he could still believe his wife was still there and the other said one day Olivia would want to play dress ups so there was no rush to throw it away.

"How long ago did your wife pass away again?" Kate asked. Evan wondered if the woman had ever heard of tact but he had to say he found it refreshing that while she didn't tip toe around the subject she was respectful.

"Two years ago, she died during childbirth with Olivia. I haven't had the heart to clear out her things" Evan admitted as he looked at the clothes and shoes.

"She didn't happen to own a pair of pants?" Kate asked politely as she looked at all the suit jacket and skirts.

"Ah I think she had one suit with pants because what you're wearing won't pass muster at my work" Evan said as he reached in and pulled out a navy blue pin stripe suit ensemble and handed it to her. "Her only suit with pants. She liked wearing skirts said god gave her legs why not use them to her advantage" he said with a shrug. Kate smiled as she knew that mode of thought well.

"Cheers" Kate said as she pulled the pants off and held them to her hips and frowned as they were too short it looked like she was going to have to wear a skirt.

"Ok, skirt it is...umm Shoes?" she asked as she folded the pants back on to the coat hander and exchanged it for a grey tweed suit with long black pencil skirt. The jacket had ¾ sleeves with puffed, pleated shoulders and princess seams front and back all trimmed with soft black leather.

"Take your pick" he said.

"Is this weird for you?" Kate asked him because she definitely felt weird going through the wardrobe belonging to his dead wife.

"No why?" he asked.

"Well I'm picking through you late wife's clothing and I have nearly the same physical attributes she does. It's just weird" Kate said uncomfortably.

"Actually she was shorter than you, her hair was a darker shade of red, and her eyes were hazel. There's also the fact she was way hotter than you" he said with a smile.

"Thanks" Kate said pretending to be insulted though she didn't take any offence as she knew she wouldn't have to worry about him hitting on her. She picked up a pair of black patent leather shoes with pointy toes and 6 inch stiletto heels. Evan's late wife wasn't a believer in kitten heels as all her shoes were stiletto. She pulled the thick matching belt to go with the jacket to accentuate her waist and stepped back with the clothes.

"Done shopping?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks" Kate said as she tried on the shoes. She was definitely feeling like the ugly sister in Cinderella as the shoes pinched. She found with the extra height nearly made her feel the same height as Evan. She just hoped the suit wasn't too tight.

"Not a problem" he said as he held her steady as she slipped off the heels.

* * *

Terra Nova,

The storm had passed and combat engineers and soldiers were moving rubble and debris from what used to be the half of the secondary research labs. Alicia watched on from a distance with Elisabeth. Dr Haynes had been pulled out with ease and taken to the infirmary with minor scrapes and bruises, she was mainly in shock.

The rest of the colony was returning their houses to assess the damage and taking down all the measures they had done to protect their homes such as boards on the windows and untying furniture. The sky that had been almost black with clouds was now clear blue skies with a few clouds here and there but nothing to be concerned with.

"We found him." Baz said, he started yelling to the soldiers to start lifting a heavy piece of debris, less than a minute later Malcolm's unconscious and bloodied body was pulled out of the rubble and put onto a stretcher and shoved into the back of a rhino with Elisabeth shouting orders to her medical team being driven back to the Infirmary.

Alicia watched from a far knowing she was useless in her current state and slightly annoyed she couldn't help. She hated being an observer. Baz walked over to her, she saw the blood on his hands which was obviously Malcolm's as the older man had no visible wounds.

"Doesn't look good" Baz commented about Malcolm.

"We'll just have to hope he pulls through. Tell me how this happened" Alicia said.

"the force of the winds picked up the iron frames we use for housing. They made a mess around the place but nothing that can't be fixed. We had them secured for the storm but I found some of the cords, they were frayed and heavily fatigued. I should have double checked"

"It's ok, it's no one's fault. Just something that happened. Everything will be fine but we'll need to clear the debris and clean up the blood. I'll double up this side of the fence with more soldiers. We don't need nykorapters smelling the blood and giving us grief. If there is anything else you need just radio me" Alicia said Baz gave a nod.

"Ok, well I better get back to it" Baz said.

* * *

2150,

"How long are they going to keep us in this room?" Jim asked as he looked out the Perspex wall of their cell watching the scientists go about their business. He, Taylor and Guzman had been in the tiny room for hours with the occasional break for tests and physicals. He was waiting for the real torturing to begin but was starting to think being trapped in a room with Guzman and Taylor. Especially after Taylor had his morning constitutional, Jim was sure he would die from suffocation from the ungodly smell. Luckily the air filtration system was functioning as it cleared out the smell after about 10 minutes.

"Probably until you crack it. Relax Shannon" Taylor told Jim, he knew the man was having problems with being confined as it reminded him of his time in Golad but it was starting to grate.

"I wish I could but I'm worried about other things and I don't like being trapped in a box and being pulled out for a couple of hours to be poked and prodded like a lab rat!" he shouted as he banged on the wall making a couple of scientist nearby jump in surprise.

"Shannon take it down a notch" Taylor said, it had been a long morning for them all cramped in the small room hadn't helped their disposition or their little meet and greets with Clayton. Taylor wanted to throttle the man for the things he had told him in that room but didn't as he knew he needed his strength.

"Oh I'm sorry but shouldn't we be trying to get out of here?" Jim asked in a low voice.

"There is no way out" Guzman said.

"Unless we talk and we are not doing that"

"Even if we talk we aren't going to be freed" Guzman said he had only been returned to the room a few minutes ago.

"Really? Did Mr Clayton Russell tell you that?" Jim asked in a snarky fashion as he wanted to be back in Terra Nova right now drinking a coffee and breathing the fresh air of a sunny day.

"He asked me about some redheaded woman and if I divulged the population numbers and defences of the Colony he'd make sure I became her breeding partner" Guzman said.

"Why didn't I get that offer?" Jim asked. Taylor and Guzman raised their eyebrows at him as Jim was a married man and they all knew they were talking about Kate. "I get threatened with prison time and Guzman gets a woman you can understand my confusion. It's hardly fair" Jim said.

"Apparently I'm very potent but if you think you're more of a Stallion than me go ahead and cut yourself a deal" Guzman offered in a mocking tone before they broke up into laughter at the absurdity of it.

* * *

"Here" Mira said handing Kate a backpack filled with everything Kate had requested for herself. Kate was currently lying on Evan's bed with her arm hooked up with IV drip sent up with a rally pack of vitamins and minerals, Evan had taken a pint of her blood and was currently working on the serum. While Maddy was outside babysitting the kids and keeping them preoccupied.

"Oh wow glasses this is original cover" Kate said sarcastically as she put on the thin rectangle shaped glasses she had pulled from the bag. The other contents was some makeup, perfume and hair dye. Something about the glasses was oddly familiar but she didn't comment as she liked wearing glasses it gave her carte blanche to be as nerdy and intelligent as she wanted to be.

"And here's your ID" Mira said ignoring Kate's tone, Kate activated the interface and looked at the official photo of herself with dark brunette hair looking serious with the glasses on. Something about it was entirely too familiar about it. Then it struck her that it was one of her previous alias with some tweaks on the dates and some added credentials.

"Jacqueline Washburn, seriously? You used one of my old aliases. You just got them to change the photo slightly along with the dates and added things. I thought I said not to use one of my past aliases there will be a trail" Kate said.

"It'll be fine and anyway that's how false identities are made" Mira said, Kate shook her head in disbelief and hoped the ID passed muster the next day.

"May I?" Evan asked taking a break from his work. Kate handed the ID over to him. "Hey we went to the same university" he said with a smile. Mira and Kate looked at him and he felt like an idiot as he realised that it wasn't true. "Right, plausible background for why I know you besides your stellar credentials. I think I need a brain break" Evan said

"It's too much for you isn't it?" Kate asked him with a hint of humour in her tone.

"I'm in awe of you, scientifically speaking of course. You know that you have the lowest levels of blood impurities I have ever seen. You're practically a new born which is impossible for a woman of your age. It's remarkable, did you grow up in a dome all your life?" he asked her, Mira and Kate exchanged looks before Kate answered.

"Yeah, I'm from 2016" Kate told him.

"Excuse me?" Evan said as he was pretty sure he didn't hear her correctly.

"I lived in a completely different time to you and everyone else before I was displaced to Terra Nova" Kate told him.

"Well that explains a lot" Evan said accepting her for her word that she was from the 21st century. Kate looked at him oddly. "You have a lot of idioms and turns of phrases I don't know and you look to Maddy to explain things you should know. I don't get by on my looks alone" he said with a smug smile.

"Don't worry no one thought you were getting by on your looks alone" Kate replied dryly.

* * *

Terra Nova,

"Elisabeth, what's his prognosis?" Alicia asked as she looked through the window to the operating room. Inside Malcolm laid on a table with several staff surrounding him, monitoring his vitals and hanging up fresh blood packs and IV drip.

"Not good, he's suffered a cerebral edema and his brain is swelling quite severely. Right now I'm replenishing his blood loss and hoping he'll stabilise but I think I may have to cut into his skull to relieve the pressure" Elisabeth said, Alicia cursed under her breath.

"How much brain damage are we talking about?"

"I don't know it's too soon to make any assumptions but it's not good. We need to get Kate back here as soon as possible" Elisabeth said.

"I've been trying to get a hold of them but all I'm getting is static. The soldiers are stretched out thin as it is." Alicia gave a sigh "I'll send Carter and Reilly out" Alicia said making a compromise.

* * *

In 2150,

The Friday morning, Kate stepped out of the bathroom in the suit ensemble, she wore the black pencil skirt dress which finished just a few inches about her knees any higher and it would be indecent. It fit alright but was a little loose in the hips and bust. But the jacket covered up the slight bagginess in those areas. It luckily was a snug fit. Her hair dyed a light chocolate brown was in a casual yet professional up do with a few strands loose to frame her face. She donned a little eyeliner, bronzer and red lipstick with the glasses on she looked nothing like herself.

"Wow, you look different" Maddy said in awe as she handed Kate her ID and purse with rebreather and the data stick.

"Yeah, we could almost be related except the eyes" Evan joked as he had been momentarily stunned by the sight of Kate. Her grey eyes stood out more than they did before with the bronzer and darker hair. He adjusted his tie as he was wearing a well tailored grey suit, looking professional. He spent a good portion of the morning packing up clothing and toys for the kids along with his own gear, he made sure to pack some mementos of Lena, both their grandparents for him to pass to the kids later in life and also for Alicia as he knew she would have wanted their grandfather's pocket watch.

He and the kids had their injections and he double checked and found it had worked they all had a molecular signature identical to Kate's. He knew the reason their body's didn't reject it was due to the low toxicity and impurities in Kate's blood which meant her Plasma was equally as clean and more readily absorbed.

Everything was ready and the cars packed. His kids would be in the car waiting with Maddy for him and Kate. His nerves were beginning to fray as it had been so long since he had to deceive anyone in a long time but as he looked at Kate who was completely at ease.

"Thanks always wanted to be a Washington" Kate said with an amused smile as she straightened her jacket and checked herself in the mirror one last time. "So I'll be going with Mira to the building while you take your car and park it outside where we agreed with Maddy in the car with the kids. I'll meet you in the lobby as planned" Kate said as she double checked her purse again.

"Are you repeating this for my benefit or yours?" Evan asked.

"A bit of both. Let's go" Kate said.


	26. Chapter 26

Evan stood in the palatial lobby of New Hope Plaza and checked his watch impatiently, Kate was taking her time getting to the lobby than was planned. It was busy Friday morning as people walked through the lobby heading to the elevators. He was also nervous as it was bad enough he was going to commit career suicide and probably end up being jailed on the hair brained idea from a woman who claimed to be from 134 years in the past.

"Dr Washington, no kids in tow today?"

Evan turned on his feet to face Clayton Russell, the man dressed immaculately in a black pin stripe suit. The two shook hands in greeting, it wasn't unusual for Clayton to talk with him as he was a hands on boss. He knew all of his employees by name and some personal tidbit about them.

"Olivia was struggling this morning so I thought it best to keep her indoors" Evan said, it was common knowledge his daughter had poor health due to the air quality. He gave a jovial smile at his boss Clayton, he was a good boss made sure his employees were never without. His company provided many benefits to entice the crème de la crème of scientists and professionals.

"Very wise, are you waiting for someone?" Clayton asked as he noted Evan's eyes wondering around the lobby looking for someone.

"Yes, that would be me. Mr Russell" Kate said drawing the men's attention. Evan was relieved to see her. Clayton smiled and held out his hand to her. She had a somewhat calm and professional demeanour.

"You know my name but I don't believe I had the pleasure" Clayton said to her, Evan watched as she gave a slight blush and a smile.

"Jacqueline Washburn and the pleasure is mine to be in your presence I'm a fan of your philanthropic ventures and keeping the hope of Terra Nova alive in these grim days" Kate said she looked to Evan. "I apologise for being late but traffic from central transit was shocking this morning" Kate said.

"Oh and where did you come in from?"

"Moscow Dome" Kate said.

"That's a long way to transit. I heard the air quality has been poor there since the large scale riots occurred in the southern quarter" Clayton remarked.

"The glass has finally been replaced in the south quarter but the air is still quite toxic but you know the Russians they smoke and drink so what's a little bit of pollution as long as the vodka keeps pouring?" Kate said, Clayton chuckled and gave a nod.

"Indeed" he said in agreement.

"While the work in the domes has been an experience I have been suffering quite poorly because of the air which is why I couldn't resist the jaunt to here when Evan called" Kate said, Evan was amazed Kate didn't miss a beat but then he had watched her prepare herself not missing the smallest detail as she spoke with a highly cultured Boston Brahim accent. She even had feminine gestures and the whole façade of a woman of the upper echelon of society would have down to an art as Evan was fooled even though he knew it was just an act. It was impressive.

"So you and Evan know each other how?" Clayton asked as he was wrapped into the façade of a cultured high societal woman in his presence.

"Old College alumni, he tracked me down and informed that I should check out his work place as I was thinking about applying to the engineering department here" Kate said off handily.

"We do have some openings in that department what are your qualifications?" Clayton asked, Kate rattled off her credentials and Clayton looked impressed with what he was hearing and seeing as he kept letting his eyes wander. "Impressive" he oozed.

"I do try" Kate remarked.

"You know if you are free for dinner I'd happily go into detail about the positions I could employ you in" he said the innuendo not lost on Kate. "Unless you and Evan have other plans with the children" Clayton said off the cuff.

"No, we have no plans yet and I'll be in town for a week. So I can see the children another night. I would enjoy dinner with you Mr Russell, I still have to find a hotel to check into and get settled" Kate drawled, Clayton pulled out a business card.

"I'm old fashioned" he remarked as he pulled a pen out and wrote his personal number on the back of the card before handing it to Kate. "When you have found a hotel call me and I'll take you to Alinea for dinner. Does 8pm appeal to you?" he asked.

"It sounds very appealing" Kate practically purred while inwardly rolling her eyes at how easy men melted for a pretty lady.

"Excellent, I shall leave Dr Washington to giving you a tour of the facilities" Clayton said before walking away and leaving Kate to look at Evan as she waved the business card fanning herself.

"I got a date with your boss" she told him smugly in a low voice.

"Congratulations, maybe you could sleep with him and get me a pay rise" Evan told her, Kate laughed as they went through security. Once they passed through security with ease and Evan walked her through the motions of a tour all employers gave prospective employees in the hopes of wooing them.

She was shown through many labs and introduced to people she would never see again. They finally reached the main computer core of the building. It was a large room which was chilled to keep the super computer from overheating. There were four hubs in the room as Kate looked around casually looking impressed with it.

"This is the one of the three main core servers in the city. Beautiful isn't it?" Evan said as he watched Kate wondering how she was going to plant the data stick without anyone noticing it.

"It's amazing" Kate said as she looked at one of the hubs seeing several ports to insert the data stick. She palmed the stick and casually walked by the port and slid the data stick in and watched the stick turn green as it was activated and the information was accessed. "You really got it all set up for yourself. I want to see you labs" Kate told him with a smile.

"Well come this way" Evan said directing her out of the room.

* * *

"Do you recognise this woman?" Clayton asked Taylor, Jim and Guzman as he held up a plex showing a photo of Brunette version of Kate with glasses. "She walked through my doors this morning and charmed the pants off me. I like to vet my dates before dinner and funnily enough she looks like this woman" Clayton said as he tapped the plex putting a photo of Kate's old service record next to the brunette version.

"I don't see it" Taylor remarked with little interest.

"Could be a Doppler ganger. My wife has one but she's Japanese. It's a little creepy" Jim said before going back to lying on his bed.

"I think it's Kate Renshaw" Clayton said.

"Who is he talking about?" Jim asked Guzman and Taylor.

"Bout some chick from past. That's supposedly going to be my breeding partner if I tell him all my darkest secrets" Guzman told Jim who looked up from his bunk and gave a shrug not impressed at all.

"You have dark secrets Guzman?" Taylor asked him in a mocking tone. They could see their banter was riling Clayton up.

"Oh I can see why you didn't sell out. She isn't much to look at is she?" Jim told Guzman. He was glad Kate wasn't around to hear them as she would have probably kicked him in the family jewels for such a remark.

"If you are so suspicious about her being Kate Renshaw why are you letting her walk around? Shouldn't you be chasing her down and putting her through the same treatment as us?" Taylor asked.

"Well I wanted to share my thoughts but as we speak my men are collecting her" Clayton said, he barely finished the sentence when the lights in the room began to flicker, a second later the fire alarm sounded.

* * *

"Have you got those co-ordinates and the other information we needed?" Kate asked him.

"Downloading them now onto memory chips" he told her, his hands were shaking as he tapped at the screen he had just witnessed Kate take down five burley ex special forces security men with little to no effort. The men were sprawled on the floor unconscious in his lab. He had been in some bar fights but even he was impressed as she did it all in six inch heels without breaking the seams on the dress though his lab was looking a little worse for wear.

"Done" he said and it was lucky as the computer started to malfunction and the lights in the room flickered. A second later the fire alarm sounded. He pocketed memory chips as he had copied down all the terminus schematics and research he had spent the last few years working on the take with him to the past. If everything worked out for the best he silently reminded himself.

"Ok let's go" Kate said as she opened the door gesturing he go first.

* * *

"What's going on?" Clayton asked when he ran into the security centre of the building.

"There is no fire" a technician said.

"Of course there is no fire!" Clayton snapped he saw the smiles on his prisoners face before he turned on his feet and left them. It was that woman and Dr Washington. He wondered what they were trying to do besides break Taylor and his men out.

"But the alarm systems aren't responding, we can't shut them off, people are currently evacuating" Miss Thornton the head of security said as she stood at the large plex screen trying to get it to work but the interface was barely responding to commands.

"That's fine, we'll say it's a drill. At least tell me we have Kate Washburn in custody and if not I want extra guards on the prisoners" Clayton said as he was sure the woman was responsible for it all but to what end he didn't know.

"Comm. systems are down sir. No one is responding but they only have the orders to apprehend her if she crosses their path. There is no way we can rally more security with the building being evacuated" Miss Thornton said as she flipped through the security feeds.

* * *

Kate and Evan walked down the fire escape stairs with everyone else until they reached the floor Taylor and the others were being held. Kate stopped at the guard, she kept her face down.

"I need to use the bathroom" she told him making motions of someone trying to keep their stomach contents down.

"Ma'am keep moving" The guard told her as he continued to waved his torch directing people.

"Oh I'm gonna be sick" she said as she clasped a hand over her mouth and made motions like she was going to be sick. The guard stepped out her way giving her access to the floor and she rushed to the bathroom with Evan right behind her.

Once the door to the ladies' closed Evan looked at her. "I can't believed that worked" he said but Kate held up her fingers and counted down from 5 when she lowered the last finger the door to the room was kicked open. Kate pulled Evan out of the way as the guard tried to shoot tazor prongs at them.

She then turned around the corner and thrusted her palm in an upward motion breaking the man's nose before she grabbed hold of his gun hand and elbowed him in the face. She then slammed the guard into the wall before allowing him to drop the ground unconscious.

The door opened and two more guards came in. Kate ducked as this time they had guns instead of tazors and scrambled for cover with Evan.

"Those are real guns" Evan said.

"No shit Sherlock" Kate said in a low voice. "Stay here" she told him.

"Come out with your hands up slowly." One of the men said, Kate raised her hands and stuck them out slowly.

"Don't shoot I'm surrendering" she told them as she put her head out the guards waved her out. She moved out into plain view and allowed one of the guards to come closer.

"Don't try anything cute lady"

"Ok" Kate said as one of the guards moved behind her.

"Hands down slowly" he told her as he pulled out plasticuffs.

* * *

"You hear that?" Jim asked as he pressed his face to the glass trying to see further into the room. He heard the voices of people fighting and gunshots and glass shattering.

"I hear the alarms" Guzman said as he and Taylor were trying to kick the door open as the glass wall was too thick to break. So far they weren't having any luck.

"Hey it's Kate! Over here!" Jim shouted, he pounded on the glass, Taylor and Guzman move to stand beside Jim and saw two figures coming towards them dodging between desks and chairs when the lights flickered on Taylor saw it was indeed Kate and a man he never thought he'd see coming to his rescue. Evan Washington. He seemed to be holding Kate up as they got closer it became apparent as to why.

"Hey guys" Kate said in a dazed tone as Evan held her up.

"What happened to you?" Taylor asked as he saw the blood trailing down the side of her face from her cheek and a busted lip.

"This? It's nothing, just a mere flesh wound." Kate said in a slightly dizzy tone as Evan helped her sink to the ground.

"She tried to catch a bullet with her head" Evan told them.

"Yeah, I missed and hit my head on the table" Kate said begrudgingly as she blinked a few times. "But I'll be fine. What about you guys? Oh Evan Washington this is…" Kate made the introductions as Evan pulled out a laser scalpel.

"Nice to meet you all but if you could move to the left of the cell that would be appreciated" Evan said, Taylor notice the man was looking a little worse for wear with a shiner of black eye forming. The men inside moved out of the way and Evan cut a large hole in the glass and pushed the piece into the room. It fell with a heavy thud and the occupants carefully moved out of the cell so as not to burn themselves on the still hot edges of the glass.

"Yeah, we need to get going otherwise we won't reach our destination in time" Kate said, Evan pulled out a memory chip and handed it to Taylor before he helped Kate off the ground.

"This chip has the location and times of the next three rifts there is another rift forming in 40 minutes and don't lose that as it has half of my research on it" Evan said as he didn't want to waste any more time than necessary he could be an asshole to Taylor later.

"You need a hand with her?" Jim asked Evan.

"Nah, she's a skinny little thing" Evan said as he held her up by the waist and her arm slung over his shoulders.

"A skinny little thing that can kick your ass" Kate told Evan who chuckled at her. The others smiled and chuckled while Kate moaned in pain they moved. "Oh I'm going vomit" She said, Evan stopped and Kate took a few breaths "No, no false alarm...I'm good" Kate told them

Her head was pounding and nausea rolled over her in waves. She still felt a little dazed from when her head hit the table when the guard who had been standing behind her fell on top of when his partner accidently shot him in the face after Kate used the gun the guard behind her to shoot him first.

"Ok lead the way" Taylor said to them. Evan took lead with Kate as they rushed to the east fire exit stairwell. It took them 20 minutes to get outside and slip through the crowds of employees who were trying to get their names checked off for the evacuation protocols.

"Mira is waiting for you guys in that parked sedan over there. Mira has a plex to access the chip but if it doesn't work you need sector 8" Kate rattled off the street location as she pressed a hand to her forehead "Evan and I will meet you there" Kate said before she and Evan disappeared into the crowds.

"This is insane" Guzman said as they walked to the car and spotted Mira in a silver car with a little girl they assumed to be Sienna, they felt the urgency to get as far away as they could from the area and to get to the rift as they didn't have rebreathers on.

* * *

"What is going on, why haven't the backup generators kicked in to stabilise the power loss?" Clayton demanded as the electrical systems were flicker and disconnect. He was glad he wasn't epileptic as he was sure he would have had a seizure from the all the flashing screens but it was definitely giving him a migraine along with the alarm.

"I don't know sir the systems aren't responding" the technician as power shut off in the room. After a few moments partial power returned and the large plex screens flickered and the pixilation of the screens were poor as computer script ran across the screen at a rapid speed.

"What is that?" Clayton said.

"It's a virus" Miss Thornton said as she looked at it in awe.

"How did it break through out defences? We have the state of the art protection against malware and viruses" Clayton asked.

"I don't know but if I'm reading this correctly it's eating up everything sir"

"Make it stop" he told the woman. Miss Thornton moved to the manual console in the room and pushed the technician out of the way and started typing at a rapid pace.

"I can't, it's adapting and spreading sir. It's breeched the firewalls it's spreading to throughout the core servers not just this building but the city's core servers" Thornton said, the emergency doors open to the room.

"What?! that's impossible, fix this now! Don't stop!" Clayton ordered her as Miss Thornton froze her expression was one of true horror.

"It's too late. I can't stop it" She said, the power went out completely. Dead silence as everything came to a halt.

* * *

"The car's stopped" Evan said it wasn't the only thing as every light and power source flickered and went dark. The city was in a complete blackout.

"I know, we have to get out the car and keep moving" Kate said as she put on rebreather unbuckled her seat belt and turned to in her seat to help Maddy put the kids rebreathers on.

Kate opened the door and moved the back of the car and lifted Olivia out of her seat and held the little girl while Evan picked up Sean and the huge backpack he had packed for himself and the kids. Maddy pulled out her sensor gear that was still functioning. It was the only source of light in the whole area as the city was completely dark. Even the constant sounds of Air filtration systems and vents had ceased, the area was quiet with exception of people talking and wondering what was going on.

"Two blocks up on the left" Maddy said as turned off the plex to not draw attention to herself as they moved quickly. They made it to the alleyway just as pandemonium broke as people thought it was the end when no backup generators kicked in, no power, no air filtration systems working it meant the end of the world with a slow death.

"How's your head?" Evan asked Kate as they hid in the side alley with the kids. Now they were just waiting for Mira and her group to join them.

"Like I just woke up from a three day bender in Vegas" Kate told him.

"Maybe I should take Olive" Evan said with concern.

"I won't drop her. Promise" Kate assured him, even so Olivia was nearly strangling Kate with her little pudgy arms as she held onto Kate. She adjusted the little girl on her hip and stood up when she saw Taylor and the other running their way. She rubbed the little girl's back in a soothing gesture.

"Hey sorry we took so long, power has gone out around the city. Soldiers are starting to flood the streets. If we are going to go back now would be an excellent time before we are rounded up" Taylor said.

The streets started to be flooded with artificial lighting and the sounds of hum vees and a booming voice start calling out Martial law and for all citizens to return their homes and wait for processing from allocated officials.

"Oh great, I take it being found lurking in a back alley won't end well?" Kate asked dryly as Mira and Sienna moved into the Alley to stand near Maddy and Jim.

"You don't want to know" Guzman told Kate. Kate looked at him oddly as he sounded like he knew exactly what would happen.

"Maddy?" Taylor asked.

"It's forming just as predicte-"

Kate and the other turned to see Maddy, Mira and Sienna had disappeared. Evan stood completely frozen as he held Sean in his arms watching Taylor and the others follow suit and disappeared into thin air.

"This is impossible" Evan said to Kate as she was waiting on him.

"You can wrap your head around all this when we get back to Terra Nova" Kate told him, she held out a hand to him "Come on" she said.

"Is it going to hurt?" he asked. Kate heard the sounds of troops on the ground and orders being shouted around. They had to go.

"You won't feel a thing unlike me who has a cranking headache now come on!" She ordered as she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him and Sean toward her while she held Olivia with her other arm. He didn't even feel the transition or see it as one second he was stepping towards Kate in the alleyway and next they were standing in the middle of a jungle in solid daylight.

Evan blinked at the glare of the sunlight. Kate continued to pull on his arm and dragged him over towards two automobiles constructed for riding through rough terrain.

"You're clear but the rift is still there" Maddy said to Kate and Evan reached the rover and rhino. Evan looked around stunned by what he was seeing he held onto Sean as he didn't want his son running off to who knew where. He pulled off his rebreather and took a slow inhale, the air was so clean and fresh not even air in the domes was of this quality. He pulled his son's rebreather off and smiled as his son was too consumed with the greenery and blue skies. It was beautiful in comparison to the world they left behind.

"Hey girl, take slow easy breaths ok?" Kate told Olivia as she slowly pulled Olivia's rebreather off. The little girl gave a wheezy cough and struggled but after a few moments her breathing improved slightly. She was still noticeably wheezing with each breath which made Kate look to Evan in concern.

"She's having trouble breathing" Kate said stating the obvious as she pulled off her rebreather. She turned her face away as she gave a nasty cough the remnants of bad air still in her lungs affecting her. She knew exactly how the little girl felt.

"You don't sound any better yourself. I'll get the oxygen tank from the med kit in the rhino" Taylor said as he moved to the back of the rhino and rummaged around a few seconds later he turned the oxygen on and passed Kate a mini oxygen tank with a face mask attached.

Kate took an inhale and exhale demonstrating and proving to Olivia it was ok before placing the mask on the little girl's face. After a few inhales the little girl was breathing with ease and staring at Kate like she was her guardian angel. Kate had a feeling it was probably the oddity of real sunlight and the noises of the jungle and the greenry.

"We need to get you two back to the Colony ASAP. You both need medical attention" Taylor said to Kate as he inspected her head wound more closely and her pupils.

Kate opened her mouth to say something more but stopped when they heard the sounds of a rover approaching. A second later the rover appeared and Carter jumped out while Reilly kept the motor running.

"Hey Kate, you gotta come with me now" Carter said as he came towards them he stopped noticing the new people and Kate's outfit. He eyed Kate's change of appearance and the little girl as it was a stark contrast to her usual appearance.

"What's going on?" Kate asked him.

"Your Fiance has been injured it doesn't look good. Lt Washington sent us to get you" Carter said, Kate looked to Taylor.

"Go, take him and the other kid with you." Taylor said gesturing to Evan and Sean. "Carter you stay with us" he said to Carter who didn't really show any qualms with the order before he turned to Kate.

"We need to stay here and finish up." he told her, Kate nodded and moved towards the rover with Evan and Sean. Reilly sat in the driver's seat waiting. Evan and Sean moved into the back seat while Kate and Olivia jumped in the front passenger seat. Taylor looked to Carter "You have a spare comm. unit" he asked the man.

"Yeah, here" he said tossing one to him "Your wife has been trying to get a hold of you for the past 48 hours." Carter told him as Taylor watched as the rover drove away. He wished he could be in that rover but he wanted to finish up the scans to save them coming back. Instead he turned on the comm. unit and called Alicia.

* * *

Alicia and Elisabeth watched as rover drove into the main square and came to complete stop. Alicia had spoken with Taylor and told to expect Kate with three others in tow and for the infirmary to be prepared as they were injured which was why Elisabeth was at her side ready to go into action. They were however stunned when a brunette woman stepped out of the passenger seat of the rover holding a little girl with dark auburn hair who had an oxygen tank swamping her tiny face.

"Kate?" Alicia said as she recognised the brunette to be Kate, the whole look Kate was sporting made her completely unrecognisable.

"Alicia" Kate said as she walked over to her friend, tears streaked down her face and she held onto Olivia and the oxygen tank. Elisabeth stepped forward and looked at the little girl first.

"She's shy" Kate said as the little girl turned her face away from Elisabeth and Alicia and buried it in Kate's neck. "We came back from 2150 and she's been having problems breathing. She has a wheezing noise when she breathes. Her father knows more than I do" Kate said as she turned her head to gesture behind her.

Alicia looked behind Kate and felt her breath catch in her throat as she saw her brother walked up to them holding a boy who looked no more than 5 years old.

"You aren't in better shape yourself" Elisabeth said to Kate as she observed the head wound and the blood encrusted in Kate's hair and down her face. Not to mention the woman was having difficulties breathing herself.

"Ok but she gets treatment first" Kate stated.

"Come on we'll get into the infirmary" Elisabeth said ushering Kate and Olivia to the infirmary.

Alicia and Evan looked at one another in silence as they hadn't seen each other in over 10 years. He had changed so much, he had looked exactly like their father standing at 6ft 2 with dark brown hair and his father's brown eyes and olive complexion. He was holding a little boy to his hip.

"Evan" Alicia said as her eyes roved over him, he too let his eyes roam over her noting the changes in the years had made to them. His eyes landing on her pregnant swell of stomach covered in her maternity BDUs before hitting the rings on her left hand.

"Alicia, it's been a long time" he said with a smile. It eased the tension as she thought he still hated her for prying in his life. Obviously he had changed and she missed him and his presence when he wasn't a law breaking pig headed jerk.

"Too long, little bro and you have kids" She said with a small smile gracing her lips. Evan felt the familiar warmth of seeing her again, he smiled not realising how much he had missed his big sister.

"Yeah, this is Sean" Evan said as he introduced his son "Sean, this is Alicia. She is your aunt" he said, Alicia stepped forward tentatively and looked at the little boy who was carbon copy of his father except for his hazel eyes and smiled at him as he looked at her curiously.

"Hey Sean" she said. Sean smiled at her but said nothing.

"He isn't usually shy. Are you kiddo? Say hi to your aunt" he prompted Sean.

"Bonjour" Sean said making Alicia looked to her brother with an amused look.

"He does speak English, he's just being cheeky for some reason" Evan said tickling his son.

"It's probably too much time around Kate. Her cheekiness rubs off onto those around her. Come on we should see how your daughter is doing" Alicia said

"Thanks, her name is Olivia. You know it's just been a long couple of days. Kate said we could crash her house until housing becomes available. I don't know her house rules but you should come and hang out whenever you are free or whatever" Evan said awkwardly as he wasn't sure what to expect from his sister. Kate had informed him about Alicia's pregnancy and he assumed she was married from the large diamond ring and wedding ring. He didn't want to impose on her and her husband when Kate said she had the space for him and the kids. Alicia looked slightly disappointed for a moment when he said he was going to be moving in with Kate but brightened at the invitation to come over.

"I'd like that a lot, why don't we get you all checked out by the doctor and then I'll take you over there and get you settled in. I know the codes for the locks" Alicia said to him as they walked into the infirmary.

"Come on Olivia" Kate said the little girl was worse than the monkey, she was trying to coax the little girl off her so Elisabeth could take a look at her and run a scan but Olivia wouldn't let her go. Kate could not understand why the little girl was so attached to her.

"No" Olivia said burying her face in Kate's neck, Kate looked to Evan for help as he and Alicia came into the infirmary. Evan placed Sean on the floor when they moved to bio bed Kate was sitting on. He could see Olivia was exhausted and extremely fussy.

"Come on Olive, come to daddy" Evan said as he reached for Olivia but the 2 year old was stubborn and made a wailing noise and started cry as she buried her head into Kate's neck and holding onto Kate tighter.

"Here might as well get the face mask on her if she won't move. It will help with her breathing." Elisabeth offered in a friendly tone to Evan.

"Thanks, Olive is allergic to the combination of pollution and mould spores in 2150" Evan said as he brushed his hand gently over the back Olivia's hair feeling his heart clench as he didn't like his daughter crying. He was amazed at Kate's patience as she gently held the girl in her arms if their roles were reversed he would have been incredibly impatient wanting to know about his wife instead of putting up with fussy sick child that wasn't even his. Luckily they weren't reversed in this regard.

"It's quite a common malady from our time. An hour on the nebuliser will help clear her lungs." Elisabeth said as Evan managed to wrangle the kiddie sized face mask onto Olivia's face as the little girl was used to it and knew she had to wear it.

"Sorry about this" Evan said to Kate apologising for Olivia.

"It's fine" Kate said as she was given her own mask.

"Once the little cranky monkey falls asleep I'll come and release you" Evan said with humour. Kate half hearted chuckled and refrained from telling him that she wasn't a stranger to waiting for a monkey to fall asleep but kept her mouth shut as she felt her heart twist as she thought of Malcolm. She looked around the room but his body was nowhere to be seen as the other beds were empty.

"Ok" Kate said offering a weak smile as she wanted to know about Malcolm.

"How about I run you boys through our systems and start new medical files while the women get comfortable. I'm Dr Elisabeth Shannon I didn't catch your names" Elisabeth said, she directed them to the bed next to Kate's. Evan nodded as he picked his son up and followed Elisabeth answering all her questions about the children's health and medical history.

Kate looked to Alicia who stayed with her. She moved to Kate and looked at her head wound and clicked her tongue. "Can't let you out of the house for one day without you getting hurt now can I?" Alicia asked.

"Where's Malcolm?" Kate asked lowering the mask from her face to speak. Alicia pushed it back up.

"He's in the surgical bay, he needs a sterile environment at the moment. He's alive but his condition is critical. Elisabeth will be able to answer all your questions after she is finished checking you all over" Alicia said as she opened a draw on a trolley by the bed and pulled out antiseptic and gauze and started to clean up the gore and dirt from Kate's face.

"Ok" Kate said feeling overwhelmed with exhaustion.

"I need to lie down" Kate said, she awkwardly shuffled onto the bed and lowered herself down as Alicia made sure the lines of the nebulisers didn't get twisted up. Within moments Kate passed out of lying down. Alicia checked on Olivia finding the little girl was also fast asleep.

Evan turned around from watching Sean making sure the kid behaved himself to watch his sister clean Kate's face and tend to the woman's wounds without disturbing her.

"Ok we are finished. You can wriggle and jive all you want Monsieur" Elisabeth told Sean who jumped off the bed with glee. Evan turned to Elisabeth.

"Everything looking alright?" he asked.

"Yes nothing a little bit fresh air, exercise and sunlight can't fix" She assured him.

"Good to know, now onto the problem child" Evan joked as he moved to Kate and Olivia who was passed out. He carefully lifted Olivia off Kate and moved his daughter to the Bio bed for Elisabeth to do her scans.

"Is she going to be alright?" Evan asked gesturing to Kate.

"Oh yeah I nixed her nebuliser with sedatives" Elisabeth said dismissively, Evan looked at the doctor oddly but she just smiled. "Kate is a problematic patient herself. I need her to be well rested before I talk with her about her Fiancé. She'll be unconscious for an hour" Elisabeth told him.

"Is it bad? Her fiancé I mean" Evan asked he was wanted to know what kind of minefield he was about to walk into in staying at her place with the kids though it wasn't like he had anywhere else to stay.


	27. Chapter 27

_A/N: not a doctor.._

* * *

"…His brain was swelling. Drastically. More than his head could handle. We had to perform a decompressive craniectomy. Basically, we cut out a piece of his skull, and the brain is allowed to expand outside of his head. We had to wait for the swelling to go down which it did and we closed up the skull but we are keeping a close eye on him. Once he's no longer critical we will move him back into the main infirmary" Elisabeth told Kate as she looked through the window of the surgical bay in the infirmary. There were five people in surgical wear milling around Malcolm's prone form.

She had woken up and Elisabeth had given her scrubs and a towel directing her to the nearest shower advising Kate would have to clean up before she could see Malcolm. So she did as ordered and scrubbed off the grime of 2150 and changed into the scrubs, tying her long towel dried hair into a bun. The clothes and shoes she had been wearing were placed in a bag ready to take home later. She had made a mental note to pick up her monkey friend before Haynes tried to steal him.

"Is he going to make it?" Kate asked flexing her fingers trying to stop the urge to touch the glass. He had tubes running out of his body and machines around his body. His head was directed away from the glass so she couldn't see the true extent of his injuries.

"He's in bad shape-"

"And you can't make any promises except you'll do the best you can. That we have to wait and see" Kate said, tears burning her eyes and pain twisting at her heart as she wanted to be inside the room.

"Come on, let's go inside" Elisabeth said gently as she gestured for Kate to follow her. Kate walked into the room with trepidation as she was afraid if she touched or broke something it might kill Malcolm.

She walked up to the bed and looked down at Malcolm, his complexion was incredibly pale and drawn as he laid there unconscious with tubes sticking out of him. The top half of his head was bandaged, the machines around him the only real signs he was still alive as the vitals monitor beeped and the respirator constantly moving to show he was breathing. Elisabeth talked Kate through what the machines were telling her that his condition was slowly stabilising, there were brain waves to suggest he wasn't brain dead etc. but it was all wasted on her.

"You can hold his hand and talk to him if you want. It won't hurt him" Elisabeth told her. Kate bit her bottom lip in a vain attempt to stop herself from crying but it was too late as the tears slipped from her eyes. She wiped the tears away quickly and looked around the room spotting a stool she picked it up and moved it to his side and sat down. She took Malcolm's limp hand in hers and held it carefully as he seemed so fragile.

"Doctor?" A nurse said from behind them. Kate looked briefly over her shoulder before turning her attention back to Malcolm.

"Yes?" Elisabeth said to the nurse.

"Commander Taylor has returned with the others" the nurse informed her.

"Ok, I'll be right there" Elisabeth said, she placed a gentle hand on Kate's shoulder "You have an hour, no more ok?" Elisabeth told her. Kate nodded as she didn't take her eyes off Malcolm.

* * *

"Doc, everything ok with Kate?" Taylor asked when Elisabeth emerged from the surgical bay in the back of the Infirmary. He had asked a nurse where Elisabeth was to be told she was with Kate infomring her about Malcolm's status. He was wondering if he should go check on Kate but new he still had to get past Elisabeth.

"As good as it can be. Only minor injuries, she'll be fine physically" Elisabeth told him.

"Wallace?" Taylor asked.

"Critical, I'll discuss with you in detail after I give everyone a clean bill of Health" Elisabeth said. Taylor nodded but he could tell from the doctor's expression it was not good.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Evan and the kids were clean and dressed in fresh clothing. Olivia had woken up from her nap a happy camper but it had lasted until the metabolic enzymes concoction had to be consumed. He was currently struggling to get the kids to drink said metabolic enzymes and protein extracts. He didn't blame their refusal to consume the goo as he had struggled to just get down half of his meal allotment. The second half was still rolling around in his stomach making him nauseous.

His sister was glowing with a smile as she watched his struggles. They had talked but it was all superficial conversation as they didn't have the close relationship they used to. Alicia told him about the colony and the lifestyle while peppering him with questions about the children and him. From what he had seen of the place it was heaven on earth to him and if the houses were like Kate's he knew he and the kids were going to be very happy.

"It will take 5 weeks for you to get housing" Alicia said, she was worried about Kate to a point she felt she should stay the night with her but knew Taylor was expecting her home. One of the drags of being married or at least in Alicia's opinion was she didn't like the pull of allegiances whereas when she was single she could pick and choose now she felt she had to show more preference to Taylor as he was her husband.

"That's not too bad, hopefully Kate won't mind us hanging out here until then" Evan said as he was still persevering with Olivia. Sean was too stubborn so he gave up on him for the moment deciding to tackle one stubborn child at a time.

"I'm sure if you chip in with the cleaning it'll be fine. Kate's a pretty easy going person to live with." Alicia stopped and smiled at her brother "I'm really glad you're here. I don't want to overstep myself but I hope we can have some sort of friendship and that we can all be a family again" she said.

"Me too, I missed you Sis" he said with a smile before looking down at Olivia who was being a fusspot and trying to attack the cup of metabolic enzymes. She probably hoped if it fell on the floor she would never have to drink it.

"You too, you know you look so much like dad" Alicia said making conversation.

"Yeah it's creepy looking in mirror sometimes. It's like seeing a ghost but a very handsome and youthful one" Evan joked. Alicia laughed.

"You know Grandpa?" Sean asked her, he was a chatterbox once he got past the shyness it just took him about 15 minutes to warm up to those around him. He spoke fondly of Kate and after seeing Olivia cling to her friend Alicia found herself a little bit jealous of Kate as she had spent less than 48 hours with her brother and his kids and appeared to have a closer relationship with them that Alicia desired greatly.

"Yeah he's my Dad and you are his namesake" Alicia told Sean.

"He had to go to heaven with everyone else" Sean said sadly. Alicia looked to Evan as she had never thought Evan would make his kids believe in Heaven or other mythical things. But then she would never have though Evan would have kids before he was 30.

"Pulmonary Edema, Mom died from heart failure a few months after. 3 years ago" Evan told her.

"I know, I got a message from BMD registries" Alicia said referring to 'Birth, Marriages and Death registries' . Evan nodded, so his sister got messages from future just not his. He knew Taylor had a hand in that but he was not going to start accusing his sister's commanding officer when he had no proof nor did have the motivation or want to go after Taylor. He just wanted his sister back in his life and Alicia genuinely wanted to be a family again and he had made his redemption it was time. Taylor could go to hell as Evan was not going to leave Alicia again. He wasn't the same man anymore and it was time he stopped punishing himself.

"Oh come on Olive eat just one bite for Daddy" he said changing his attention back to his daughter, the little girl pressed her lips together and shook her head. She even grabbed the spoon but Evan had a good grip on it. Sadly it didn't end well as Olivia managed to flick the spoon in her attempts to grab it flicking the contents onto Evan's face.

Alicia burst out laughing at the scene as Evan was thoroughly unimpressed. Even Sean giggled at the sight as Evan wiped his face with a tea towel.

"I see she learned her table manners from you" Alicia quipped before laughing as Evan made a face at her for her comment.

"You just wait until you have your own. How far along are you?" Evan asked her, he knew the answer but was making conversation because he wanted her to stay around.

"24 weeks, twin girls" She told him as she unconsciously rubbed a hand over her stomach.

"Congrats, you and your husband must be elated. When will I meet the unlucky man?" Evan asked in amused tone.

"You already have met him. It's Nathaniel Taylor" Alicia said proudly. Evan blinked at her stunned momentarily as he was not sure if he heard her correctly.

"Nathaniel Taylor as in Commander Nathaniel Taylor is your husband?" Evan asked completely thrown by the news. Taylor was Alicia's husband. He wanted to grimace as it was possibly the worst thing to happen. Taylor was a mean asshole and of course he had his reasons for cutting Evan out of Alicia's life and at the time Evan wouldn't disagree but now it changed things. He had changed and he knew with Taylor as Alicia's husband meant he could never reveal Taylor as the asshole he is as it would just hurt his sister and alienate her from him. The very last thing he wanted.

"Yeah didn't Kate tell you?" Alicia asked surprised.

"No, I wanted you to hear all this stuff from you. Congratulations" Evan said with a smile as he covered his anger and pretended to be overjoyed for his sister. At least she was in love and happy. That was all that mattered and he wasn't going to screw up again. He would have to learn to live with Taylor as a brother in law.

"Thanks" Alicia said glowing in the happiness of life.

The front door opened and they turned to see Kate walk in, she looked like hell as her eyes were red and puffy from crying and her face pale. It did not suit her new hair colour that washed her out further now she wasn't wearing any bronzer to darken her skin tone. Kate placed a bag on the ground at the door with the clothes she had been wearing before closing the door and she looked at them.

"Hey" Kate said in a calm and controlled manner as she walked to the kitchen. Alicia noted that Kate had the monkey on her arm. The little brown lump was not hard to miss as Kate went to pour out a glass of her own metabolic enzymes and protien extracts. Elisabeth prescribed it to everyone else in the party just to kill off any bad bugs that had gotten into their systems. While Evan and the kids had three days of it, Kate and the others only had to suffer through three glasses.

"Hey, you have your monkey" Alicia stated Kate looked at her upper arm where the monkey was currently attached to her sleeping.

"Yeah, I had to before Haynes got it in her head she could keep him" Kate said sardonically.

Evan looked around and noted the monkey as did Sean while Olivia was distracted with her mission of destroying her cup of metabolic enzymes. Evan of course held it out Olivia's range but it didn't stop the girl from trying.

"Monkey?" Evan asked.

"He's house trained and has no fleas" Kate told him.

"Ok" Evan said in a voice that only a parent worried about foreign animals harming their children could have.

"He stuck on Kate like white on rice. Don't worry he's completely docile" Alicia assured her brother. She didn't feel it necessary to say the monkey hated being in a cage and hated pianos as they wouldn't have to worry.

Kate looked at the happy family scene at the table and swallowed her sadness not wanting to bring down the mood. She moved to take a seat at the table with everyone else knowing it would be rude to shut herself away. "So what did I miss?" She asked before taking a sip of the enzymes.

"Olivia flicking her drink on Evan" Alicia told Kate with undisguised amusement. Kate smiled as she looked at the little girl trying to grab the cup out of her reach with a face of evil intent.

"Yucky" Olivia said just as Kate swallowed her first gulp of hers. She made a face of disgust and shuddered.

"I agree" Kate said, she set her glass down "May I?" she asked Evan gesturing to Olivia and Sean's full glasses.

"They aren't finished" he said as he thought she was going to throw it away.

"I know just trust me" Kate said, he waved a hand in surrender and Kate picked them up moving back to the kitchen. She pulled out blueberries and raspberries from the fridge and smashed them up and mixed them into the two glasses before bringing them back to the table. "Try it this" she said.

Sean looked at his glass suspiciously and watched as Evan tried to coax Olivia to take a spoonful. The girl was stubborn until Evan had some and looked pleasantly surprised by the change in the flavour after that Olivia ate through hers happily as did Sean who now believed it was safe to drink.

"That's cheating" Alicia told Kate.

"Technically the kid's stomachs are more adaptive than an adult's. The fruit doesn't destroy any of the benefits of the drink though I'm pretty sure if Evan had a whole glass like that he might be ill but not the munchkins" Kate said with a smile as she ruffled Sean's hair much to the kid's annoyance because once her hand left his head, his hands went to flattening his hair. She quickly downed her glass and shook her head in disgust at the flavour and texture.

"Thank you" Evan said in earnest as Olivia happily started consuming her drink as did Sean. He was glad the kids were finally consuming their allotment of metabolic Enzymes and protein extracts. They only had 8 more meals of it to go before real food but it was going to a lot easier now. He felt he would be forever grateful to Kate as she was going above and beyond.

"No problem, Alicia I'll help you take the food my fridge to yours it'll go rot in the next three days since none of us can eat it" Kate said to her friend, envious of the glow Alicia was exhibiting but also happy her friend could reunite with her brother and her niece and nephew in Terra Nova.

"We'll do it tomorrow, I should go home. Nathaniel is probably wondering where I am and I have to hand the Colony keys back over to him" Alicia said dramatically as she pushed up from the table.

"You want me to walk with you?" Kate asked as she got up and walked to the door to open it for Alicia. It was a habit of Kate's to see her guests out personally.

"No, I'll be fine you all get some rest ok? I'll come by in the morning after breakfast" Alicia said.

"Ok, we'll have a pot of tea before I go back to the Infirmary" Kate said, Alicia nodded.

"Done and if you need me just call me ok" Alicia told Kate. Kate nodded and they briefly hugged before Alicia stepped out of the house.

"Ok, take care of yourself" Kate told Alicia as she closed the door and moved back to the table and retook her seat.

"So this monkey?" Evan asked.

"He's sleeping but you guys can have a look. Just no poking, he can be a sooky la la when he doesn't get his 18 hours of sleep" Kate said with a chuckle as she moved back to the table welcoming the distraction Evan and his kids would give her.

* * *

The following morning Alicia pushed up from bed smelling the aroma of fresh pancakes. She got to her feet and pulled on her knickers and bra before sliding one of Kate's maxi dresses over her head. As she is officially off duty she didn't feel it necessary to don her uniform. She liked the ease of it as it took no time to get one and just glided over her curves and baby bump in comparison to her uniform that made her feel like she was forever squeezing herself into.

She walked out into the kitchen to find Taylor manning the stove making pancakes the table is set with orange juice and fruit salad to accompany the breakfast of pancakes. She noted Taylor was already dressed in his BDUs and ready to put on his boots and go.

"Hey you" Alicia said as she moved to his side. "Oh that smells delicious" she said as she placed a kiss on his neck.

"I thought I'd surprise you with Pancakes" he said as he turned over the pancake in the pan.

"But who am I going to share that stack of pancakes with if you are still on metabolic enzymes?" Alicia asked.

"You are eating for three" he said as he plated up the last pancake onto the stack and turned off the hot plates before turning to her to give her a proper greeting. He cupped her face with both hands and kissed her slow and deep. Alicia pulled him in as close as she could and took pleasure in the kiss as she knew he would pull away. He was still holding strong to his 'no sex' rule even though Alicia was practically crawling the walls.

"You should eat something" he said after he broke away from the kiss first. Annoyance gnawed at her as she had enjoyed the kiss but his words after left something to be desired. He picked up the plate of food and moved to the dining table and Alicia sighed as she felt like the baby incubator than his wife and a very desirable woman.

"I assume you are going over to Kate's after breakfast?" Taylor asked. Alicia piled on the fruit and pancakes on her plate and started to eat.

"Yeah, I have the time I might as well hang with my brother and get reacquainted and I'm worried about Kate. She is a wreck. I hope having Evan and the kids staying with her won't be too much" Alicia said, she waited for Taylor to offer up the idea that Evan could move in with them. They had two spare rooms and the kids could double up in one room but he didn't.

"I think it'll be good for her, your brother can keep an eye on her" Taylor commented as he took a sip of his drink and made a face at the taste.

"Kate isn't Evan's responsibility" Alicia stated before she ate another bite of her breakfast.

"She isn't yours either" Taylor countered.

"No but she's my friend who is going through a tough time. She needs as much support as she can get. Something I can give her now that I'm off duty for the next few months" Alicia said getting annoyed at Taylor and brusque manner.

"Just remember to take care of yourself first" Taylor said, last night over dinner they had discussed what happened with Taylor and his jaunt back to 2150 with the others. She in turn informed him about what happened in the colony while he was gone. The conversation then drifted her and the babies and how he missed them in the short time. It had been special to have his focus and attention on her but right now she fought the urge to roll her eyes as it was like he forgot she was a capable person.

"I know, you and the whole colony don't have to keep reminding me I'm pregnant. I'm the one carrying the two kids who can't fit into her old clothes and going through the growing pains. You'd think I left my brain in a box the way you all treat me" Alicia snapped before she took another pancake off the stack, placed it on her plate and attacked it with gusto.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't be sorry. Treat me like you did when I wasn't knocked up within reason of course" Alicia told him. He gave a wry smile as he had been ready to point out she was nowhere near what she used to be and it wasn't a bad or good thing just different. He like her pregnant all soft round curves while her former self was a mix of lean muscles and curves. She still had muscle definition but it wasn't the same as pre pregnant body.

"I'll do my best" Taylor said as he finished his glass of metabolic enzymes. "I have to get to the Command Centre, Guzman will be taking over your duties while you're on Maternity. Though before you enjoy your break could you inform Kate and Evan that I want to see them at 11?" he asked.

"Yes sir" Alicia said with a mock salute. Taylor rose from his seat and kissed Alicia on the temple.

"I love you and will see you at dinner time" he told her, Alicia turned and grabbed his t shirt front pulling him down for a proper kiss goodbye with tongue. When she was satisfied with the kiss she released him and watched him leave the house enjoying the sight of him.

* * *

"Good Morning" Alicia said as she walked into Kate's house without even knocking. She looked to the dining table as Evan gave a distracted 'Good morning' in reply. She noticed he was watching something outside. Alicia followed his gaze and saw Kate in a yin yoga pose called sleeping swan on the back verandah.

"How long has she been like that?" Alicia asked as she sat down opposite him.

"The last 10 minutes, I was wondering if I should nudge her she may have fallen asleep" Evan said. Alicia looked around to see the kids were sitting at the coffee table playing with reptangles. Olivia looked up and Alicia gave a wave to the little girl, she gave a smile and tiny wave of her own before ducking getting to her feet and running to Evan.

"No she's meditating" Alicia informed him as he picked up Olivia and sat her on his lap with practised ease.

"She can't do it more comfortable position?" Evan asked he winced as Kate added on a spinal twist making her already uncomfortable position look more painful to the inflexible in the room.

"Apparently it's about focusing in the moment on yourself and your body. Acknowledging thoughts but letting them go blah blah" Alicia said with a dismissive wave of the hand.

"You weren't paying attention at all were you?" Evan asked in a mockingly innocent tone.

"Not even the slightest, I don't have the patience or the flexibility for that style of yoga" Alicia told him.

"Let me guess. Pilates" he said pointing at her.

"How did you know?" Alicia asked in mock surprise.

"Lena did Pilates, said it helped with aches and pains of being a baby grower" Evan said with a soft smile.

"Lena being your late wife?" Alicia asked.

"Yeah, sorry I'm still not out of the habit of talking about her as if she might walk through the door" he said with a grimace.

"It's ok, you can tell me all about her and the kids. I want to know everything I missed out on" Alicia told him.

* * *

Kate finished her practice annoyed she couldn't find the usual stillness of her mind as she kept thinking about Malcolm. She had been up for hours, she had tossed and turned for a few hours before giving up and going to the infirmary, she sat in a chair outside the operating room. There had been no change good or bad which was apparently a good thing.

The doctor had kicked her out telling her to come back in a few hours, he even gave her sleeping pills. She pocketed them and went for a long run instead. She was not going to take any drugs when Malcolm was in a critical state. When she finally exhausted herself and found her coughing annoying impeding her run she returned home and had a long hot shower before she started her yin yoga practice.

She transitioned out of her pose into corpse pose and rested for a couple of breaths before impatience finally got the best of her. She got to her feet and shook out her limbs and walked through the living room to the kitchen.

"Hey Kate, how are you?" Alicia asked in greeting. Kate noted Alicia's hair was down and she was wearing a maxi dress looking immeasurably relaxed than she did yesterday in her uniform.

"I'm ok and you?" Kate asked Alicia as she poured out a cup of metabolic enzymes and moved to the table.

"Yucky" Olivia said pointing at Kate's glass.

"Good morning to you too Miss Olive" Kate said to Olivia in good humour. She had spent most her night in tears and frustration at being helpless she refused to let that mood infect anyone else especially Evan and his kids.

"Oh the vocabulary of a two year old" Sean said dryly as Olivia wriggled and squirmed in his arms until he released her to the floor. Olivia moved to a chair next to Kate's and climbed up onto and looked at Kate with arms outstretched in a 'pick me up' motion.

"I could teach her to curse in a several different languages" Kate offered before she downed her glass of metabolic enzymes. She shuddered from the drink and shook her head making Olivia giggle at her facial expressions.

"Please don't" Evan said. Alicia chuckled as Kate lifted Olivia up and into her lap.

"Da-di-o" Kate said to Olivia as she pointed at Evan.

"Dada" Olivia said.

"Da-di-o" Kate told Olivia after a few tries Kate smiled as she pointed at Evan and Olivia smiled.

"Daddy-o" Olivia said it was still minced up in a way but it close enough it was going to stick. Evan ran a hand over his face and gave an exasperated sigh.

"No, I'm dad or daddy" Evan told Olivia.

"Daddy-o" Olivia said saying it clearer than the last time.

"Daddy" Evan said

"Daddy-o" Olivia said with a victorious smile. Evan shot Kate an unimpressed look.

"It took me hours just to get her to say 'dada' and in a space of minutes you get Daddy-o" Evan said.

"Kate's good with kids" Alicia told him matter of factorily.

"Hey, it's not a curse word" Kate said with an evil grin as she hugged the little girl and congratulated her on a good job. Kate then turned to Alicia and pointed. "A-lee-shah" Kate said sounding out simple phonetics.

Alicia smiled at Kate's never ending patience with the little girl who could not sound out her name. She couldn't help but note the dark circles under her friend's eyes and was concerned as to if the woman actually got any sleep. Though she told herself Kate was doing her best to cope, she was socialising she wasn't in bed staring at wall so it was good thing.

"I have to interrupt teaching hour but Taylor wants to do debrief of what happened the last two days in a meeting with you both at 11" Alicia said to them. Kate listened but still talked to Olivia in a low voice saying Alicia's name over and over to the little girl.

"That's only an hour and half away. What am I going to with my kids?" Evan asked.

"I'll look after them" Alicia offered.

"Are you sure?" Evan asked.

"Yeah of course"

"It'll be good practice" Kate said with a smile before she went back to trying to make Olivia say Alicia's name only the little girl could say was 'leesha' it was close enough.

"Anyway your meeting will only take an hour I've been in charge of hundreds of men and women I'm sure I can handle two kids for an hour" Alicia said.

"Leesha" Olivia said.

"We'll work on that one later" Kate said with a smile.

"Thanks Sis" Evan said to Alicia.

* * *

"Kate what did you do?" Taylor asked as he sat at the head of the conference table, Maddy, Jim, Mira and Guzman were at the table along with Evan and Kate. They had been in the meeting for about 15 minutes Taylor speaking mostly until he turned the question to Kate.

"You'll have to be a tad more specific" Kate said as she didn't appreciate the accusation even if it was well founded. Taylor was acting like he had a bindii stuck in his pants, she would have thought he'd be happy to be back home with a beautiful pregnant wife at home but apparently not.

"The power outage" Taylor said, he wanted to know what Kate had done to 2150.

"Simple the virus Maddy and I constructed corrupted the programs that regulate environmental controls and power systems forcing them to malfunction in the building first and as the virus spread to throughout one core it breach the fire walls to the other cores it was linked to. The power outage is temporary and Hospitals were the only places left with power" Kate said in a casual manner.

"How long?" Taylor asked.

"It'll take a couple of days for backup power systems to kick in for the city and then months maybe a year for them to clean up their computer systems as they would have to shut down the whole city to do a manual wipe of their systems in one go." Kate said with a shrug, if she was honest she had no idea and was lying through her teeth about that part. She knew the information about Terra Nova was completely destroyed but the other stuff she had no clue and frankly she didn't care.

"Something they definitely won't do" Evan said.

"When they get the core data servers running they will find all their data pertaining to Terra Nova, the fracture, all research on the temporal rifts and anomalous energy readings all it deleted or corrupted to the point it's irretrievable" Kate said

"So they'll have to start completely from scratch"

"Oh yeah and if they don't do the manual wipe for the virus it will eventually spread to any other servers connected to Chicago's" Kate said.

"You do you realise that you crippled the 22nd Century, condemning millions of people to die" Evan said as he wondered how her decisions sat with her.

"Millions of people who were already dying and before you ask I am arrogant enough to believe that it is my right to play god in this respect. We have to protect ourselves from that future and I will make the hard choices and do unthinkable things to preserve this colony and it's mission statement" Kate told him in a cold and firm tone, there was something almost mechanical like she was more machine than human. He had no doubt of it.

"I agree with Kate, the fracture to 2150 is dangerous and I would have done the same" Guzman said.

"Of course you would" Jim said with a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Mira asked.

"It's not funny" Guzman said wishing he hadn't spoken up at all but he didn't want Kate to be the only one known to feel they were better off without 2150. "I was told Terra Nova's colonists would be used as an organ farm and the women for breeding"

"Breeding, you make it sound like we women are brood mares" Kate said.

"To Clayton Russell you are" Guzman said.

"And apparently you are the prized mare due to your genetics" Jim told Kate, Guzman shot Jim a dark look hoping he would not make a joke about the offer Guzman got from Clayton Russell.

"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult" Kate said making a face of disgust at the thought of being kept in a lab for breeding. "So can we destroy the fracture right? Because I have no desire to be knocked up by some random guy" Kate said dryly.

"It wouldn't be some random guy it would be a guy from here" Jim said.

"Can we get back to destroying the Fracture because I don't want to know what you're getting at Jim" Kate said shaking her head at him.

"Spoilsport, we can't blow it up I know that much" Jim said Guzman glad for the reprieve as he already felt uncomfortable with the conversation about breeding and Kate. Like he needed to be reminded of the repugnant offer he was given.

"If we build the terminus from the plans on the memory sticks we brought back. We could permanently tether the portal on our side and keep the fracture shut on this end" Evan said. Taylor looked at the man through narrow eyes as if assessing if he could trust him at his word.

"How long would it take?"

"Depends on what materials we have and if we have source them and I'll need to see all the data you have and any work Dr Taylor had on the fractures. If he is still alive he could be a great help in speeding up the work" Evan said.

"Lucas is alive but he is uncooperative" Kate said as she felt no need to keep the information from Evan.

"Uncooperative?" Evan asked.

"He's in the brig. Life sentence for treason" Taylor said uncomfortably as most men who were caught for treason would be executed. But Lucas was the special case. Evan noticed how uncomfortable the air at the table became as Kate shifted in her seat and the others didn't seem to approve of Taylor's punishment but didn't say anything.

"Ok, perhaps we can extend privileges to him in exchange for his help" Evan said as he didn't understand what he was walking into. In 2150, Lucas Taylor was a brilliant physicist with many published papers until he disappeared in Terra Nova. He somehow managed to temporarily make the portal go both ways and Evan even worked with the man once.

Evan thought Lucas as a bit on the odd side with a wild look in his eye but overall he worked hard and knew everything about the fracture. He didn't know what he did that would be considered treasonous but then Taylor was good at condemning people and serving out hard convictions for even the minor of offences.

"We shall see. I want it known that it was a freak accident we ended up in the future and returning. That it can't happen again. If anyone asks you don't know how you ended up here you just did" Taylor said.

"What does it matter?" Evan asked.

"I don't want anyone to know there is still a link to the future. It will cause more harm than good." Taylor told him, Evan gave a shrug as he didn't have anyone to share his story with and even then he really only wanted to focus on building his life and looking after his kids than messing in the politics of 2150 and the colony.

The meeting continued for another ten minutes before Taylor called an end to the meeting. They were all rising from their seats when Taylor asked Evan to remain. He sat back down in his chair and waited as the others left the room once they were gone Taylor closed the doors to the command centre.

* * *

TBC~ Cya all next week!


	28. Chapter 28

_A/N:__ forgive me for the late update this week.. It's been a very hectic week of Wedding, engagement, Kitchen tea and Baby shower gift purchasing and wrapping and all that drama *Rolls eyes* too many friends getting hitched or having babies.. anyways! Thank yous to all the lovely reviews! Please enjoy Promise to have more next time :-)_ Please enjoy the update :-)

* * *

Evan watched as Taylor closed the door, not moving from his chair. Taylor turned to face him and moved back to his chair at the head of the table. Evan pursed his lips to hide his smirk at the fact that Taylor always had to be in charge, always sitting at the top of the pile.

"I know you like being in charge but can I speak first?" Evan asked, Taylor was surprised by Evan's assertiveness and gestured that he could.

"I know what I did in the past was wrong and I did as you asked I walked away but I changed my life over 10 years ago. I needed my sister 5 years ago, I needed the security in knowing she would be the guardian of my children I sent her messages upon messages that she never received. I want to know if you purposely blocked those messages and read them or just deleted them off hand." Evan asked.

"It's not like that" Taylor said, he couldn't begin to describe his mind set at the time or how he kept going through Alicia's messages from 2150. He knew it was a violation of her privacy but he saw it as protecting her.

"I want an answer" Evan said.

"They were diverted to a subdirectory folder in the core here. I didn't read any of your correspondence" Taylor informed him.

"Right and you didn't think that I deserved to have my sister back at least a second chance in the last ten years? Does she know that you have deliberately withholding her messages to me and vice versa?" Evan said with accusing tone. He knew this was the only time he could use such a tone with Taylor and get away with it.

"We had an agreement. You walk away and no jail time. Your sister gets the career and life she wanted without having to pick up after you. Don't try that bullshit about second chances when we both know better." Taylor said defensively.

"Oh yeah some career, she's still your lieutenant except now she's your wife and having your kids. Is that promotion?" Evan asked scathingly.

"Don't make me break your nose again" Taylor warned him.

"You are such a hypocrite, you pretend to be a man so strict about the rules and regulations yet you know how to blur the lines so everything works in your favour" Evan said.

"You want to sling mud at me?" Taylor asked.

"No I want to throttle you! fine we had an agreement but it was a lousy one. I changed for the better and 5 years ago I needed my sister! And you denied me the chance to have her back in my life. Didn't you think it was odd after 5 years I suddenly started messaging desperate for my sister's help or advice?"

"No, we are all creatures of habit"

"Maybe if you had read the messages you would have known I'd been on the straight and narrow. My sister would have known I was getting married, that my father wanted me to pass on a message to her as his last words from his sickbed. That I had kids who I wanted her to know about and be the legal guardian of if something happened to me?" Evan asked him letting all the hurt and anger pour out at him. Taylor looked unrepentant but at least he looked uncomfortable.

"I was just a stupid teenager too smart for his own good who granted was a dick but I grew up. I changed and you took my sister away from me. You denied my kids from knowing their aunt the only living relative they have because I was a one prick of a teenager over ten years ago" Evan told him bitterly.

"That's right, I was protecting her from you I'm not sorry for it either"

"I'm not expecting you to apologise I'm sure you don't know how to and I'm not asking to be your friend either"

"What are you asking?"

"I not asking anymore I'm telling you. I am going to mend the fences with my sister and we are going to be in each other's lives whether we want it or not. I will play happy brother in law around her and you because I want to put the past behind us. I'm asking for a little respect and civility when we are in the same room and for my kids. They didn't do anything wrong and now you're their uncle by marriage. The past is just that in the past and I refuse to let it taint my future here. We are connected and I'm not going to make my sister choose between you or me" Evan said plainly.

There was no victory in this course except that he would get his sister back in his life and that was enough for him even though he had to put up with Taylor.

"Because I'll win?" Taylor asked a little too smugly for Evan's taste.

"No, because I'm not a selfish asshole. I want my sister in my life and if she knew what happened that night or what you've been doing the last 10 years we both lose her. It's not worth it and I don't want it hanging over my head for the rest of my life. I paid my dues. Are we done?" Evan asked impatiently.

"No" Taylor said.

"What is there left to say?" Evan asked him because he had said his piece. He was actually shocked the old man would let him say anything at all let alone have a good rant.

"It'll take five weeks for housing to become available. It'll be constructed next to Kate's house as that side of the street has yet to be started. So you and the kids are close by. I'll organise some lab space for you" Taylor said. It was his way of accepting Evan back and agreeing to the terms of letting the past lay to rest.

"Fine anything else?" Evan asked as he wanted to get back to his kids.

"Alicia's pregnancy is high risk, I appreciate you not wanting to cause her any undue stress" Taylor said.

"I assumed as much, she seems happy I guess I should thank you for taking care of her" Evan said though he was reluctant to say so. He had to start somewhere with being civil. Taylor gave a nod of acknowledgement but said nothing. "I'm not the same man I was" Evan reiterated.

"I'll keep that in mind. Also don't mention my son in Kate's presence again. The two have bad history, worse than ours" Taylor advised him. Evan nodded and rose from his seat finished with the discussion as he wanted to leave before Taylor felt he could lay down the law to him.

* * *

"Pick that one" Alicia told Olivia as they were out in backyard. There were many plants flowering and right now Olivia was having a blast picking flowers and walking toddling around the place pointing at things and babbling while Alicia correcting her while Sean ran around investigating and asking what he could eat. Alicia smiled as she enjoyed the fact they were behaving for her so far and warming up to her. They had been shy at first but once Alicia took them outside to play in the sunshine they warmed up to her.

Olivia pulled a flower from the plant she was standing at and held it out to Alicia with a happy little smile on her face. Very proud of herself as she toddled over closer to Alicia with the flower in her outstretched hand.

"Thank you" Alicia said to her as she took the flower and bundled it with the others Olivia had plucked from the garden.

"What's going on out here?" Evan asked from the back veranda. Alicia turned and smiled as she watched the kids race to him, he looked so at ease with being father.

"I ate the garden" Sean said proudly, Evan looked to Alicia with raised eyebrows.

"Obviously not the whole garden. Don't worry they are all edible and meant to be eaten" She assured him.

"Ok and you have been picking flowers?" Evan asked with amusement at Alicia and the small bouquet she had in her hands.

"Of course, Olivia has been helping me" Alicia told him.

"I hope they weren't too much trouble?" Evan asked as he picked Olivia up into his arms. She was the neediest of the two but he figured it was her age as Sean was the same when he was two.

"Not at all" Alicia said with a smile, Evan was sure his sister could light up a whole county with her smile and general glowing disposition.

"So you won't mind babysitting from time to time?" Evan asked with a hopeful expression.

"Of course, I want to spend time with my family. Speaking of I should really go check on Kate" Alicia said as she noted it had to be nearly lunch time as she was starting to get a bit peckish.

"Oh yeah, I think she went to the Infirmary" Evan said.

"I have no doubt that is where she is" Alicia said as she walked up the back steps.

"Is she going to be ok?" Evan asked, Alicia quirked an eyebrow at her brother's obvious concern about Kate.

"I'm not sure but I hope so. She needs some good news" Alicia told him earnestly. Evan wanted to ask Alicia to elaborate but felt it was a discussion best saved for when the kids were asleep.

"Oh hey Taylor said he's going to get a house built next door to here for me and the kids. Looks like we are gonna be living in the same neighbourhood" Evan said changing the topic of the conversation.

"That's great!" Alicia said with a wide smile. "It also means you can return the favour of babysitting when my kids get here"

"Definitely, hopefully they'll have more of the Washington genes than Taylor genes as I really think two girls with beards would be very unattractive" Evan quipped even giving a disgusted shiver at the thought, Alicia punched him in the arm as she laughed.

"Hilarious little bro. I'm outta here I'll be round later sometime. Try not to have too much fun without me" Alicia told him, she said goodbye to the kids enjoying their tiny little waves and cute pudgy smiles. Oh yeah she couldn't wait to have her kids.

She left the house and headed to the infirmary at a leisurely pace as she knew if she walked any faster it would look more like a mad waddle than a walking stride. The sad part about walking at a leisurely pace was that it gave people an opportunity to fall into step with her and annoy her with a million questions about her pregnancy.

"L.T. that's a pretty dress you have on" Guzman said with a smile from a distance, Alicia turned to him seeing his cheeky smile.

"Oh you think? You can borrow it after me. I'm sure the colour will be quite flattering on you" Alicia quipped sarcastically as he laughed as he fell into step with her.

"I prefer halter neck as it accentuates my broad shoulders" he told her.

"Is there something I can do for you Sergeant?" Alicia asked not that she wasn't thoroughly amused by Guzman's fashion knowledge but she wanted to see Kate.

"I was hoping you could give me a proper handover of what needs to be done while you're on Maternity leave" Guzman said.

"Ok, tomorrow 0800 the Command Centre ok?" Alicia asked.

"See you then Ma'am" Guzman said leaving her to enter the infirmary alone. It didn't take her long to spot Kate sitting at a biobed the farthest from the door. She saw grey looking Malcolm was lying on the said bed tubes and machines working to keep him stable.

She walked over to behind Kate and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder in a comforting gesture before a nurse pulled a chair over for Alicia to sit. Alicia thanked the nurse before taking her seat next to Kate.

"How is he?" Alicia asked Kate who looked completely shell shocked as she held Malcolm's hand in hers just waiting for him to wake up.

"Alive, the rest is questionable" Kate said not looking at Alicia. They sat in silence for a few minutes with just the sound of the machines churning and making noises before Kate spoke up.

"Do you know he spends a good half an hour to get his hair to stand up straight like he always has it?" Kate asked Alicia as looked at Malcolm. "He's going to be so pissed when he wakes up bald, if he wakes up" Kate said rubbing a hand over her face.

"Speaking of hair, this brunette business has gotta go" Alicia told Kate.

"Agreed, it's semi permanent so I'm stuck with it for another 28 washes at least" Kate said resigned.

"Vitamin C paste will wash most of it out" Alicia told her as she touched the ends of Kate's hair. She was trying to distract Kate as she knew that if it were Taylor in that bed she would need the distraction so as not to think over all the what if and worst case scenarios.

"That's good to know" Kate said.

"We'll do it after dinner tonight if you want?" Alicia offered.

"I can't-"

"Kate you can't sit here all night and all day" Alicia told her.

"It's only been part of the morning" Kate told her, which was true. It was nearly lunch time.

"I know you'll sit here like a statue for days" Alicia said.

"He stayed with me when I was injured, I'm not leaving him please just let me stay" Kate said in a low voice as she didn't have any energy to fight. She just wanted to sit by Malcolm's bed side and not move until he woke up. She knew it was an unrealistic task as she had work and other duties to perform not to mention keeping herself in shape. Alicia nodded and decided to change the conversation.

"I want to thank you for helping my brother and letting him stay at your place" Alicia said.

"I have the space and it's not like Malcolm is in any condition to complain" Kate said. Hating how the words sliced through her with such truth. She pressed her lips into a fine line trying vainly not to cry but failing miserably.

"He's out of the surgical bay" Alicia said noting a positive though it wasn't because he still had yet to wake up and then they would the true extent of the damage. "It's a good sign Kate" Alicia assured her.

* * *

Hours later, the kids were safely tucked into bed fast asleep. Alicia had gone home a couple hours ago returning to her home and husband. Evan went to the kitchen made himself a glass of water and looked over at the lounge where Kate was sitting staring at nowhere in particular. She had been quite subdued when she came home with Alicia for dinner. Alicia of course was the only one eating real food while the others drank their sludge though Evan saw his sister sneaking Olivia some raspberries before dinner.

"Kate do you want anything to drink?" Evan asked, Kate shook her head as she continued to look completely dazed. She had been in a daze since coming home just going through the motions.

"Can I ask you something?" Evan asked as he joined Kate on the lounge. He still found her hair colour slightly startling as she and Alicia had spent a couple of hours in the bathroom after dinner, where they rinsed majority of the brown dye from Kate's hair. Her red locks were nearly back to their original shade but were still dark in some strands where the brown refused to wash out. It made her hair look a darker auburn than its usual shade.

"What do you want to know?" Kate asked him.

"What did you do in the past? I mean your past in 2016?" Evan asked, he knew he hit a nerve as Kate sat back into the lounge and gave a sigh. She rubbed her face and gave a look of consideration before turning to him.

"I was a soldier" Kate said tentatively.

"You don't act or fight like any soldier I've ever known or seen" he said. Kate looked away and pursed her lips before taking a deep breath stalling for time as she hated talking about her past but knew she wouldn't get away with being quiet.

"My family wasn't well off, I enlisted into the Army. They gave me the funds to do my degree and I gave them three years of service. When I finished my contract I was up to my eyeballs in debt and the economy crashed. Grey Group offered a bucket load of money to any soldier willing to join their ranks and intensive training. They approached me and gave me an offer I couldn't refuse"

"So you became a mercenary?" Evan asked. Kate hated that distinction as she liked to believe she was a cut above a mercenary.

"No, I was civilian version of Special Forces. I worked in joint with the Military and my work was approved by the Government. Mercenaries have no allegiance to their country; it's just about the money to them. They change allegiances based who pays them the most and would betray their boss if their enemy paid them more. They maim torture and kill for sheer pleasure. I'm not like that." Kate told him.

"But you killed people for money"

"Yes, and frankly you don't want to know the things I have done but it wasn't all about the money. Yes, I took the job because the money was good. I paid off my debt in a year I could have easily quit and found another job but I continued because I was fighting for my country and doing what I felt was my duty. Anyway it's all over and done with now" Kate said the tone she used made it clear she didn't want to talk about it any further.

"Now you're a deputy and carrying a gun" Evan said, she knew her tone was obviously not stern enough as Evan was prying further.

"So what's the deal with you and Taylor?" Kate asked changing the focus of the conversation off her.

"It doesn't involve you" Evan said.

"You live under my roof. Taylor and Alicia are my family which means you are my family by extension. I'm involved already but I'd like to know exactly what I've stepped into" Kate told him.

* * *

~Flashback~

Evan sat in the grey interrogation room with his hands cuffed to the metal table in the centre of the room. There were two cameras in the room and a wall that had a two way mirror. Opposite him sat Taylor in his BDU's looking at him intensely as if scrutinising Evan like a cockroach he wanted to flick off his boot. On the table was the ID Evan had 'borrowed' from his sister and two plexs. all the evidence compiled from evan's late night visit to the Data Servers on the Military base where his sister and her unit were stationed. He of course was just visiting.

"You hate your sister so much that you'd have her killed for treason" Taylor asked innocently though there was nothing innocent about Taylor or what he was implying.

"I love my sister" Evan told him. Taylor sat forward in his seat.

"You love her so much you betray her trust, you steal her access card and tried to download a chunk of classified information. You know what happens when classified intel is leaked on the public core?" Taylor asked him.

"It shows the people what their tax payer dollars are doing for them. That the Military is starting wars to fund their budget so they can enlist more soldiers and provide training programs while weaponry companies and the government get massive kickbacks and goodies for invading foreign countries for their resources" Evan said.

"It gets men and women killed. Good soldiers who want to protect their country, their families" Taylor said Evan scoffed at Taylor and rolled his eyes in contempt.

"I can see whatever I tell you will fall on deaf ears so how about this as the Secessionists have sunk their claws deep in you. So I'll tell it to you straight. You commited Treason" Taylor told him. He looked at Evan "Treason is a capital offence which means the death penalty. But sadly there is enough evidence pointing to your sister to show she colluded with you which means she'll be given the same penalties as she was an accessory to your crime" Taylor told him.

"Luckily you were caught before the real damage was done. Also Lucky that I was on the base as the General decided I should handle this. Right now you are skating on thin ice" Taylor told Evan. Evan held his chin high as he wasn't going to be intimidated by his sister's commanding officer. He was willing to die for the Separatist's cause.

"I'm already in cuffs so why don't you just let me hang for the crimes I was supposedly going to commit or send me to some dark hole at the end of the world instead of patronizing me old man" Evan drawled in a dark tone.

"Oh so you wanted to be caught" Taylor said in a patronising tone making it sound like he was talking to a small child and not the teenager infront of him.

"Preferably no but here I am" Evan drawled sarcastically.

"You know why you were caught? It's because of timing. Your sister is over 200,000 miles in another country. She even reported her ID card missing and then tonight her ID gets pinged in the system for one of the data servers on the base. Here you are. What were you trying to access?"

"I'm not going incriminate myself. I want a lawyer" Evan told him.

"Right now I'm the only person standing between you and your freedom. You won't get a public hearing, no one will know you died. So if you think you'll become a martyr to the cause you are wrong"

"I don't care I want my lawyer. Just because my sister puts you on a pedestal doesn't mean I'm like her"

"That's a shame because she is the perfect example of a model citizen and soldier who has a stupid and reckless brother. She told me you were a talker so now is the time to talk. I want to know who put you up to this"

"I don't want to talk to you"

"The Separatists will fall and many will end up in Rendition camps. You don't want to go there. All I want to know is what they wanted you to steal. No names just intel and this will all be forgotten like yesterday's news" Taylor told him.

"Yeah right"

"There will be other conditions to your release besides immunity from this... let's call it a minor 'infraction' and that is you're going to leave your sister's life" Taylor told him.

"Oh am I distracting my perfect sister from following your every whim?" Evan drawled in a leery tone as if suggesting something of a sexual nature existed between Taylor and his Lieutenant. Taylor leaned across the table and slammed Evan's head onto the table. When Evan lifted his head blood was gushing from his nose. "What the fuck?!" Evan exclaimed.

"Don't you dare imply anything of your sister's character unlike you she will have an illustrious military career. She will make a difference in the world unlike you who I would say in 5 years will either be dead or prison" Taylor growled at him angry that two people could be born from the same family yet be complete opposites of one another.

"You broke my nose"

"I'll break more if you don't watch your tongue" Taylor told him.

~End of flashback~

* * *

"We talked some more and he chipped my front tooth and broke two of my fingers. I deserved it for what I said. So he let me off when I gave up the intel as long as I didn't involve myself in my sister's life again or break the law I'd not be brought up on charges. I made up a stupid argument and walked out the door. I was a punk arse idiot who didn't think of the consequences until it was too late. I thought it would be easy without Alicia in my life as she was always away on some mission but I was wrong." Evan finished he looked at Kate who took in everything he said.

"Alicia doesn't know this and I don't want her to either" he added.

"Not my secret to tell" Kate assured him.

"But now yours to keep" he said, he kind of expected her to tell him to pack up and get out of her house. But then it would have been hypocritical considering she admitted she had done worse.

"It doesn't faze me I used to keeping secrets and anyway some things are best left in the past so we can move forward" Kate said running a hand through her hair.

"I guess it's hard for you when all your secrets are no longer covered by the confidentiality laws. I could just search you up in the database and know all your dark and scary secrets" he said with a wry smile.

"Well Taylor was kind enough to lock them away from public access" Kate said.

"Can I ask you another rather personal question?" Evan asked.

"You can ask whether I answer is another thing" Kate said.

"When I asked about Dr Taylor, Lucas everyone looked incredibly uncomfortable and they all looked at you. What's the deal did you and Lucas have a bad break up?" Evan asked assuming the most innocent of assumptions. Kate laughed and covered her mouth to calm herself, she didn't know why but she found it hilarious. She put it down to sleep deprivation.

"No, you'll find out that Lucas brought in a private army and took over the colony. He was one of the bad guys" Kate said feeling sick to her stomach talking about it. "I was kept in the brig for most of the duration, Lucas was my 'interrogator' I use the term loosely" Kate told him.

"Oh, sorry" he said as he realised what a bad question it was to ask.

"It's ok, I won't go into detail-"

"Totally. I don't need to know and I won't bring up again." Evan told her wishing he hadn't asked but now he knew for the future not to mention it. He was learning there were many faces to the woman in front of him.

"It's been a while. I won't pretend I'm not still affected by him or what happened but I prefer to remove myself from him and his world" Kate said.

"Understandable" Evan said and she gave a small smile that said he didn't understand but she would humour him but letting him have the assumption. "Are you going to be ok with me and the kids staying here?" he asked.

"Yeah, I said you and the kids could stay here and I was joking at the time but I mean it now. Stay I won't be around that much and anyway where would you go?" Kate asked him with a smart ass tone. Evan smiled.

"Good point" Evan said as he had no desire to crowd his sister's place and live with Taylor. Here he and the kids could have their own room. Sean didn't need coaxing into his own room but Olivia did as she wasn't used to the house. She was currently sleeping in his bed, but he knew in a few nights she would be sleeping in the third room. He made a mental note to see if there was a place he could buy some toys or something so the room looked a little more inviting than barren.

"Look, I cannot guarantee I'm going to be the best housemate. I won't be around but when I am I won't take my situation out on you or the kids"

"I'm not worried about that, you've got the patience of a saint" he said with a laugh.

"No just the patience of a good soldier" Kate corrected him.


	29. Chapter 29

Three weeks passed by, Elisabeth came in for her morning shift to find Kate sitting in a chair looking at Malcolm. He was still in a coma with no signs of change since the decompressive cranioetomy was a success and they closed his skull and the wound. They moved him from the operating room into the main infirmary but kept the opaque curtains drawn closed to give them some privacy. The staff believed Kate deserved not to be stared at or observed in her private moments of fear, worry and grief over Malcolm.

Kate kept her schedule, she worked during the day and any spare time she had was spent by Malcolm's bedside or exercising to stay in relative shape. She had lost weight and fatigue was written in her features but no matter what anyone said she would not go home at night only leaving in the early hours of the morning to go home for a couple hours of rest and to wash up. She refused to sleep in a bed beside his while she was in the infirmary. She would just sit in the chair and hold Malcolm's hand, waiting. Alicia, Jim and Taylor all took turns sitting with her, making sure she ate and kept her fluids up but it was heart breaking to watch Kate sit so vacant in her disposition the only time she focused was when she was duty and even then she wasn't entirely there. But if she didn't work they all knew she would sit with Malcolm all day and night.

The night shift Doctor and Elisabeth proceeded with the handover. Getting all the information about the patients in the Infirmary and any other pertinent information she needed. After she finished with them she moved to Malcolm's other side. Kate sat like a statue, the only movement she made was blinking and the slight rise and fall of her chest indicating she was still breathing.

"Morning Kate" Elisabeth said, the woman blinked once before she moved her eyes to look at Elisabeth. Obviously it was Kate's day off as Elisabeth remembered Kate was wearing the same clothes from the day before when Elisabeth went home for the afternoon.

"Hey" Kate said.

"You have breakfast yet?" Elisabeth asked looking at Kate who's eyes were bloodshot and her complexion paler than usual.

"No not yet" Kate said vainly rubbing the fatigue from her face. She just kept waiting and waiting for changes that never came. He just laid in the bed unconscious, the bandages were gone from his head and his hair was slowly growing back. It was strange to see him with very short hair. The staff even shaved his face as it was easier than trimming his beard. It was definitely a different look. One Kate found slightly amusing as Malcolm was vain about his appearance. She was really waiting for him to wake up and have a man tanty about his beard being gone.

"When was the last time you ate?" Elisabeth asked.

"Last night, Alicia dropped by with stir fry vegetables and noodles. I'm going to go home eat breakfast and shower etc." Kate said as she stood up her head swooned and her vision were blanketed in stars and spots while she tried to breathe through it but she completely lost consciousness.

"Kate?" Elisabeth said rushing to the Redhead as the woman swayed on her feet. "Nurse!" she called out as Kate's knees buckled Elisabeth helped lower Kate to the ground slowly.

* * *

Kate woke up on a biobed several hours later; she only knew it because of the light filtering through the window hitting her face. It was the afternoon sun. She lifted her arm and noted the IV drip in her arm. She slowly sat up and looked around the infirmary she was thirsty and incredibly groggy. Elisabeth walked up to her bed looking more concerned than angry as Kate would have expected. It made her worry.

"How are you feeling?" Elisabeth asked her.

"I'm ok, what happened? Is Malcolm-"

"He's still the same. I'm going to unhook the IV drip and we'll talk privately in my office" Elisabeth told her.

* * *

Taylor ran a hand over a sleeping Alicia's stomach enjoying the feel of her swells and curves of her body, the softness of her skin. It was the best part of his morning and today held amusement as one of the girls was lying in a position where her tiny bottom was protruding out the side of Alicia's stomach. While a foot was pressing the other side, he marvelled how he just had to rub a hand over the tiny bottom and it wiggled away and then to the foot to feel them move like they knew he was on the outside.

He had only once before felt so completely in love and that was when he saw Ayani and Lucas as a babe when he returned. But this felt the same but different, he felt completely in tune with Alicia and the girls. He loved all three of them so completely he couldn't help but smile.

"You're staring" Alicia mumbled as she woke up. "It's a little weird" she told him.

"Have I told you I love you lately?" Taylor asked her.

"Every Morning and night sometimes over lunch" Alicia replied with a smile. Taylor's expression became serious.

"If anything happened to you-" he started.

"Hey I'm not going anywhere" Alicia said cutting him off. She ran her hands down the sides of his face. Taylor took one of her hands and placed a gentle kiss on the palm of her hand. It was a topic that came up at an alarming rate the past couple of weeks as Malcolm showed no progress in his recovery and Kate remained vigil at his side even though they all tried to get her to do more than sit with Malcolm and tried to get her to eat and sleep more but it was no use. Jim had given her the afternoons off in the hopes she would actually use the time to get some sleep.

"I just keep worrying about Kate. She is barely functioning, the man she loves lying in a coma." Taylor said shaking his head.

"I know it's hard to watch but can you say either of us would act any different in her position" Alicia said with a sigh. She too was worried about her friend.

"I don't want to think about it" he said lowering his lips to her in a slow and passionate kiss.

* * *

"We want… wanted kids, we spoke about it when we were painting the other three bedrooms. He wants three girls and I wanted two boys and a girl." Kate said in a daze, tears rolling down her face as she recollected the moments. She kept mixing her tenses as she was never sure of how to speak about Malcolm.

"I know this is a shock" Elisabeth said placing a hand over Kate's.

"A shock" Kate repeated looking at the floor as the tears continued to run down her face. "Why is it when I finally have everything in place, everything perfect, it just falls to pieces? Why didn't my scans show this early when I came back from 2150?" she asked. Elisabeth watched as Kate became more animated than she had been the last 3 weeks.

"I only focused the scans on your upper body mainly your head and lungs. Today was a generic scan, I don't automatically scan for pregnancy unless the patient is presenting symptoms and I want to confirm it or rule it out. It's going to ok" Elisabeth told her. Kate looked at her.

"Really? The man I love is in a coma for the past three weeks. He has showed no signs that he's going to wake up. You tell me I'm nearly 5 weeks pregnant and that everything is going to be alright? I don't think I can do this alone" Kate said as she wiped the tears from her face sitting away from Elisabeth. She felt nausea roll through her as she was panicking.

"You can and you won't be alone. You have plenty of support here in Terra Nova until Malcolm recovers" Elisabeth told Kate, she knew now she had to feed Kate as many false hopes as she could. Kate needed to focus on taking care of herself and the baby. The thought of doing it alone scared her and the fact that Malcolm hadn't woken up meant she was going to be doing it alone, she was pretty sure she would screw everything up. Sure she could look after people's kids but having one on her own full time when she had pictured it would be a joint thing. Her and Malcolm.

"You mean if he recovers" Kate said as she took slow and measured breaths to calm herself.

"He will recover, his injuries are healing quite well… brain injuries never follow a predicted healing pattern but everything looks fine. There is no reason why he shouldn't be awake but when he does come round we'll know the extent of the damage" Elisabeth said.

"What about my time in 2150 will it have side effects tha-"

"No, from the scans everything looks healthy for now but you fainting is not a good sign. You need to change how you have been these past weeks. Malcolm would never want you to sit by his bed day and night burning the candle at both ends like this. You need to start looking after yourself properly and foster that child in you. So he or she will be strong and healthy. Seeing half of the genes are Malcolm's, he or she will probably be high maintenance" Elisabeth joked instead of getting a laugh Kate dropped her head down and started to cry softly.

"Oh Kate, look at me" Elisabeth said gently coaxing the woman to look up at her. Elisabeth brushed the strands of hair out of Kate's face. "It's ok, I know you're upset everything is not working out as it should. But this is good news, you're allowed to be happy about this. Things will work themselves out" Elisabeth said with a kind smile. She watched as the words didn't sink in and wished Kate would believe her as she hated seeing her friend so entirely heartbroken over what was supposed to be good news. even if it was given at a lousy time.

"What do I need to do?" Kate said neither happy nor sad just resigned. Elisabeth saw it as a step in the right direction and assumed Kate was just too overwhelmed to process her emotions.

"Ok, Eat three proper meals a day as well as many snacks you want. You need to gain back the weight you lost and some more, sleep 8 hours a night at least. I'm going to give you the same prenatal vitamins I gave Alicia and you are going to take them religiously. Reduce your exercise regime to only low impact sports only. No sparring. You're exhausted you need to relax and recuperate. When you come in the afternoons to visit Malcolm we'll talk more ok? Anything you want to talk about in regards to your pregnancy and getting your home set up" Elisabeth told Kate who just nodded.

"Can we put the vitamins into nondescript bottles? I don't need any more tongues wagging about me and people laying on the pity" Kate said as she wiped her face knowing she probably looked like a wreck but didn't care.

"Sure" Elisabeth told her.

"I don't want anyone knowing this stays between us right?" Kate asked.

"Doctor Patient confidentiality I won't say boo unless you give me permission" Elisabeth assured her, even though she knew she couldn't keep it a secret. Kate needed more support than ever not isolation.

"When will I have to tell Taylor and Jim?"

"Well it's up to you but usually most people inform their bosses after 12 weeks but if you are hit with bad nausea or generally unwell it might be better to inform them earlier so they can be more accommodating to you and then you can avoid the awkward vomit scenarios" Elisabeth said.

"Right" Kate said with a sardonic chuckle as she recalled how Elisabeth told her the story of how she accidently vomited on Jim when she was trying to tell him she was pregnant with Josh.

"Why don't you go and rest on the biobed you were on and I'll get everything ready for you" Elisabeth said. Kate nodded finally caving in as she did feel exhausted to the bone.

* * *

Hours later, Kate left the infirmary with the bag Elisabeth gave her. It was heavy as it had several unmarked pill containers filled with vitamins. She kept her head down not looking at anyone or making eye contact. When she opened the door to her house she was hit by the noise of the laughter and high pitch squeals of Olivia and Sean and the smell of a roast dinner cooking in the oven.

She closed the door quietly behind her and turned to see Evan playing with the kids. Well it looked like the kids were using their father as a jungle gym and he tickling them. She didn't want to disturb so she quietly crossed through the kitchen only her efforts were in vain when Evan called out.

"Hey Kate, you're home" he said cheerfully, she turned to face the living room as it was an open plan living space.

"Yeah" she said as she watched Evan pull himself off the floor only to have his kids wrap themselves around his legs.

"Seriously you two, go play with the colour-in sheets" he said looking down at them but they didn't budge instead they held tighter smiling and giggling up at him. He looked sheepishly at Kate and gave her a shrug. "They get it from their mother's side" he explained.

"Right" Kate said in the best casual smile she could muster up. She just wanted to bury herself in her and Malcolm's bed. Sometimes she would lay in that bed and close her eyes when the bed was warm enough, she could smell the scent of him in the pillow, his clothing. She would pretend and almost believe for a moment he was there with her. When she drifted into sleep she dreamed of him when she woke up it made her feel empty as though she was waiting for him to die than wake up which hurt deeply as so much time had passed and no change. She just wanted Malcolm to wake up.

"Is everything ok with Malcolm?" Evan asked as he stayed still which bored the kids long enough they released him to go play at the coffee table. He moved to the island bench to look at Kate she usually came home after midnight and left before dawn. He also woke up when he heard the door but never heard her footsteps, she was like a ninja. He could have sworn she never lived in the house at all except that every odd day the laundry would be done and a small amount of food was missing from the fridge daily. He told Alicia who he knew was deeply concerned for her friend. He and Alicia were getting on great and his kids loved their aunt. It probably helped she was over at the house every day and always bringing some new piece of strange fruits or baked goods for the kids to eat.

He loved his sister for fully accepting him back and how she loved his kids and showed them great amount of patience and support. Olivia was quite attached to her aunt as Alicia would braid her hair daily and play with her even if it was just scribbling on a colour sheet. Sean on the other hand while he loved Alicia he was too wrapped up in wanting to play outside in the sunshine to show the same amount of commitment to Alicia Olivia did.

He looked to Kate and felt the pain she had etched in her expression and the fatigue. She was not the woman he had met 3 weeks ago and he wished there was something he could do for her but he didn't know what to do or how to comfort her as she was not like any woman he had ever known.

"Yeah, no change" She said with a shake of the head tears filling her eyes she looked down at the counter. "Dinner smells good" she commented with a tight and closed smile.

"Yeah Alicia gave me some cooking tips. There's plenty to go round if you want to join us" he offered. Kate nodded, he smiled as he was glad she would eat with them.

"Ok, I just need to lie down will you call me when it's ready?" she asked him wanting nothing more than to just bury herself in her bed but knowing she had to eat and it was easier to join Evan and the kids for dinner than to hide. She was so incredibly tired, she just wanted to lie down.

"It'll be ready in a couple of hours. I'll keep the kids quiet" he said, Kate shook her head.

"Be as noisy as you like it won't disturb me" Kate assured him she didn't wait for him to say anything else before she disappeared into her room and closed the door. She stripped out of her clothes and pulled a soft cotton shirt she always wore to bed and crawled under the blankets.

* * *

Alicia was surprised when Evan called her and asked her over for dinner, she had called Taylor telling him they were having dinner with Evan but her husband told her to go by herself as he wanted to get ahead on the paper work and was working late. No matter how hard she tried to get Taylor in the same room as her brother she couldn't make it happen. He wouldn't explain himself either which the most annoying thing of all but it didn't stop Alicia from going to Kate's house to have dinner with her brother.

"Hey, come on in" Evan said as he waved Alicia into the house.

"You know no one has dinner at 5:30pm in the afternoon except for really old people" Alicia said as Olivia ran up to her and held out her arms wanting to be picked up. Alicia would have loved to but she was just way too pregnant to comfortably bend over, let alone kneel down. She had been hanging out with her brother and her nephew and niece most days as she didn't have any duties or tasks it also helped they were close to her house as it was a relaxing short walk.

"Lisha" Olivia said with whiny noises as she desperately wanted to be picked up. Getting Olivia to say her name correctly was a challenge to say the least but Alicia didn't mind as it was incredibly adorable.

"Hey cutie" Alicia said in greeting as Evan lifted Olivia up so the little girl could give Alicia a hug before Evan placed the little girl back on the ground.

"Olive why don't you go get that picture you drew for Alicia?" Evan said to Olivia the little girl gave a nod and toddled off.

"Oh she is way too bright for a two year old. Sure she's yours?" Alicia asked tongue in cheek as she nudged his arm with her elbow.

"Thanks she gets her looks from her mother. Brains are all my genes" Evan told her.

"Somehow I think she only got your height and the rest is her mother" Alicia teased as Olivia was continuously getting taller. She was already in size 3 clothing as she just got taller and taller.

"Well dinner is at 6 because I am old-er and I like my kids in bed super early but I thought you might like to wake Kate up for me" Evan said with a hopeful smile as he changed topic.

"Kate is home?" Alicia asked surprised.

"Yeah she's joining us for dinner." Evan said it was very rare for Kate to be at home let alone join a family meal.

"Really?" Alicia said surprised as it had been struggle to get Kate to eat a few bites of food every day. Today she had gone to the infirmary as usual to find Kate asleep. Elisabeth and she agreed it was better for Kate to sleep.

"Yep, you sound surprised. My roast smells delicious. Who wouldn't want a slice of that bright orange meat?" Evan asked her in a joking fashion.

"We'll see, I'll go wake her up" Alicia said she looked around the living room to find it empty. "Where's Sean?" she asked as Olivia came back with a colour sheet to her.

"He is digging up beetle grubs for the monkey" Evan said, he still wasn't comfortable with the monkey around the house. He kept mistaking it for a rodent just with longer arms and legs. The kids however loved it and the monkey behaved itself to a point and when it grew tired of the kids it would disappear or run for Kate. But it was always on his perch in the lounge room in the morning for a few hours probably because he got a free meal from the kids.

"I hope he doesn't ruin his appetite. Beetle grubs are addictive" Alicia joked with a wicked smile.

"I should go keep an eye on him" he said looking slightly concerned at Sean eating too many bugs.

"Olive and I will wake up Kate" Alicia said with a chuckle as her brother pick up his step to go outside to his son. Alicia turned to Olivia who held up a picture which was just scribbles and swirls of colours. "Oh wow this pretty" Alicia said to Olivia. The little girl smiled proudly at the compliment "You know who would love a picture?" she asked Olivia the little girl shook her head. "Kate, why don't you go to the coffee table and draw her something pretty" Alicia told her.

After Olivia was settled with another colour in sheet and pens Alicia moved to Kate's room and gently knocked on the door. When Kate didn't answer she slid open the door to find Kate on the bed or a lump in the middle of the bed under the blankets she assumed to be Kate. She moved to the bed and sat down next to the lump. She was about to wake Kate up when she noticed a bag on the dresser where a pill container had rolled out. She got off the bed and moved to the dresser and picked up one of the containers.

The containers were unmarked. She opened the lid and poured out a couple of the tablets. She immediately recognised them as the prenatal vitamin folic acid. She quickly put the tablets into the container and closed the lid before replacing it back to its original place.

"I'm pregnant" Alicia heard Kate whisper behind her. Alicia turned around and saw Kate looking at her with tears in her eyes. "Five weeks give or take a few days" Kate said as she shook her head in disbelief before burying it in her pillow. Alicia moved back to the bed and sat down on the edge and gently stroked Kate's hair in a comforting manner.

"And you're surprised?" Alicia asked, Kate nodded turning her head to the side. It was obvious the woman had been crying her eyes out.

"I've been getting light headed the last couple of weeks but I thought it was just fatigue or whatever until I passed out today. Elisabeth ran a scan while I was unconscious" Kate told her with a roll of her eyes. "Yes I'm surprised I'm on the shot and we were careful. We planned everything" Kate told her before burying her face again.

"Plans never work out. We both know this but not to worry everything will have a way of working itself out" Alicia said, Kate muffled something into the pillow "What?" Alicia asked, Kate lifted her head up and looked at Alicia.

"Nothing works out for me. I get what I want but then it's all out of order or parts are missing. It's like a cosmic joke that never ends" Kate told her before dropping her head face down into the pillow again for a moment before she jerked her head up again.

"I mean what am I supposed to do? What if Malcolm doesn't wake up or he does wake up and he's brain is completely fried and he's a vegetable? I feel so lost without him around. Malcolm and I were supposed to do this together a couple years from now. Not like this" Kate said. Alicia felt the urge to say 'it's going to be ok' but knew it wouldn't comfort Kate. It was the first time Kate had opened up in weeks to anyone.

"Well we'll just have to make it work until Malcolm wakes up and gets off his ass. the limey bastard" Alicia joked, Kate gave a sardonic chuckle.

"And what if he never wakes up?" Kate asked her voice filled with the fear she felt.

"We'll worry about that if it happens" Alicia told her. She stressed the 'if' so Kate knew she believed that Malcolm would wake and would be fine. "Now until he does wake up the rest of us will pick up the slack for him. I just feel sorry for my brother when the morning sickness kicks in" Alicia said.

"Oh thanks" Kate said dryly.

"Honestly it's unnatural the noises you make" Alicia said feeling the mood lighten in the room.

"At least people know I'm being sick"

"I'd call it being possessed"

"Well not all of us can sound like pornstars while chundering" Kate told her they both laughed at the digression of their conversation until Kate sobered into a serious expression. "Can we not announce this to the whole colony?" Kate asked.

"Whatever you want. It's your news to tell" Alicia told her as she knew the last thing Kate needed was for the colony to smother her with attention and pity.

"You won't tell Taylor will you?" Kate asked.

"Just because he's my husband doesn't mean I tell him everything. But if I were you I'd wait and see how long it takes his old noodle to figure it out" Alicia said with a smile. She rubbed Kate's back gently "Now come on let's get you cleaned up for dinner" Alicia said.

* * *

Later that evening,

"I went to the infirmary and found Kate wasn't there" Taylor said as he got ready for bed. Alicia was already lying in bed on her side reading something on her plex.

"She wasn't feeling well so she went home. Don't worry Evan and I made sure she ate a proper meal before shuffling her off to bed" Alicia informed him.

"How was your day?" Taylor asked as he crawled under the blankets and spooned Alicia from behind.

"Good, I hung out with my brother came home for an afternoon nap and then Evan called and spent the evening with him, Kate and the kids. Olivia drew me a picture" Alicia told him somewhat proudly.

"Another" he said as it wasn't the first nor the last picture Olivia would ever draw but he was grateful that they couldn't hang said pictures on the fridge as the colour-in sheets weren't made for that purpose.

"Yep all rainbow swirls and scribbles this time. She still can't say my name correctly I think I'll be Lisha for a while" Alicia said with a wide smile as Taylor kissed her shoulder. He looked at the plex reading the titles.

"You're brushing up on your French?" Taylor asked.

"Sean is learning French, I figured I can help him practice. He spoke with Kate at dinner tonight"

"Oh?"

"He asked her why she was sad and she said her friend who is ill is not getting better and she missed him a lot. I wish Malcolm would wake up" Alicia said with a sigh as she turned the plex off and placed it on the bedside table before turning her head to look at him. "How was your day?" she asked changing the topic.

"Busy and boring" he told her as he ran his hand over her large stomach, he smiled as the twins kicked and wriggled under his hand.

"Oh, make them stop" Alicia groaned to him.

"They are pretty active in there tonight" Taylor commented he loved feeling the twins squirm and move.

"I will be really happy when my body is my own again. I love them and love when they move around but sometimes I just want to relax and can't because these naughty little kids won't stop kicking their mom" Alicia said as she took a deep and calming breath.

"They get it from you"

"Oh because you're so passive" Alicia drawled sarcastically with a chuckle. Taylor laughed as he continued to massage her body enjoying the feel of her soft skin under his hands. Alicia made a murmur of pleasure as her body thrummed with arousal under his ministrations that were going from innocent to sexual the line between those two were blurry as Alicia was so sexually frustrated by the lack of it that even innocent brushes were enough to heat her up. "Don't start something you're not planning to finish" she warned him.

"I'm just giving my wife a massage" Taylor murmured in her ear before kissing the sweet spot below said ear. Alicia's toes curl in pleasure as he continued to his path down her neck.

"This is far from relaxing and you're breaking your rule" Alicia told him with a sexy chuckle.

"I'm not breaking the rule, have you forgotten how those two were made?" Taylor asked.

"Yes I have, show me how it was done and be very thorough in your teachings." Alicia half deadpanned and said seriously as she wanted sex in all its variety of flavours. "Start slow and gentle" Alicia told him in a husky tone. Taylor groaned at her words.

"In 4 months time you're on" Taylor told her. Alicia gave an aggravated sigh and pushed herself up off the bed. "Where you going?" Taylor asked.

"I'm going to the kitchen. If I'm not getting sex then I'm going to eat and cool off" Alicia told him in an uptight manner as she was pissed off. She pulled a wrap off the door to the bedroom and covered her naked form. She knew he found her attractive but it still stung he wouldn't have sex her especially when he teased her into such a state.

"Alicia" Taylor said in a placating tone.

"No, you're working late most nights and when you come home you rub me up and get me all into the mood then cut me off. It is mean especially as Elisabeth said it would be fine if we had sex as long as we aren't rough. I want sex" Alicia told him. Taylor smiled at her which made her blood boil as he wasn't taking her seriously. "Don't smile at me like that. I know you want it too. You can't hide that" She said gesturing to where the sheets tented in his lap.

"What do you want me to say?" Taylor asked her as this was probably the most fun he had all day.

"Nothing, I want you to do me instead of treating me like a human oven" Alicia told him finally telling him what she had been keeping bottled up for weeks.

"I don't mean to treat you like a human oven but I don't want to take any unnecessary risks especially this late in the game" Taylor told her as he got out of bed and pulled on his trunks and moved towards her. "You think I like walking around with this?" Taylor asked her gesturing to his erection. "Especially when I have a beautiful and sexy wife panting for me just as much as I want her. At least you can hide your arousal" he added with a wry smile.

"I don't pant" Alicia told him darkly as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Oh but you do get this dark hungry look in your eyes and then you lick your lips in such a way that drives me wild." he told her as he moved closer and rubbed her arms.

"Yet you aren't doing anything about it" she told him petulantly.

"Oh don't you worry I'm making a long list of the things I want to do to you after the kids are born" Taylor assured her in a husky voice that made Alicia melt. "But for right now let's have some sorbet" he said as he pinched her ass and walked past her to the kitchen. "I need to cool off myself now" he said tongue in cheek.

* * *

_TBC~ Yep I had to have a bit of fun and you know the drill cya all in a week!_


	30. Chapter 30

_A/N: Many apologies I've been catching colds and working too much this week thus a three chapter update and it being late so you all can forgive me :-) As Always thank you for all the lovely reviews! and Oh I have to share I have seen Simone Kessell (A.K.A. Wash) in an advert for Jalna Greek Yogurt in Aus... it's soo strange hearing her not talk with an American accent! I know she's a Kiwi but still it's weird... Anyways ENJOY the update!_

* * *

"What are you drinking?" Evan asked as he watched Kate pour herself a cup green lumpy liquid into a glass. Olivia and Sean were happily playing on the back verandah at the doors were open wide to let in the beautiful sunshine and fresh air. he had to admit he loved Terra Nova, the fresh air and sunshine and how well his kids were thriving and growing in the new environment.

"A green smoothie it is spinach, kale, apple, mango and blueberries with half a banana. it's delicious you want some?" Kate asked as she stood behind the kitchen counter with Evan watching the kids.

"You couldn't eat breakfast like a normal person? There are a couple of pancakes leftover" he told her as he packed away dirty dishes into the dishwasher.

"Already ate them, thanks" Kate said with a smile as she leaned her hip against the bench and drank her smoothie outwardly she looked relaxed even if her complexion was incredibly pale and dark circles marred under her eyes bespoking of lack of fatigue. She was more sociable too which he found a nice change as he was worried for her like everyone in her circle of friends.

"Then why are you drinking that and what is with all the pills?" he asked as she had five different shapes and coloured tablets on a plate on the bench. He picked up a tablet and looked for any obvious markings.

"Alpha lipoic acid, calcium, umm that one is a probiotic, Vitamin B and others I forget. 21st Century body requires a lot of upkeep" Kate said as she swiped the tablet from his hand and swallowed it along with the others in quick succession before Evan could get a closer look at the rest and figure out the tablet he was holding was Folic acid.

"Maybe if you slept more and exercised like the average person then you wouldn't need all of this" he said as he smelt the remains of the smoothie in the blender jug. He made a face as it didn't appeal to him.

"On average I exercise an hour and half daily that includes my yoga. Granted I have been a little excessive the last few weeks but I've been having trouble sleeping" Kate said looking despondent as she had tried to sleep last night but found herself tossing and turning only to end up sitting in the infirmary by Malcolm's bedside until about 3 am. She decided she'd let Elisabeth yell at her later, she laid in bed for a couple of hours then proceeded with her yoga practice while Evan and the kids went through their motions of having breakfast before she came in to make herself a green smoothie.

"I know, I hear you walking around at night and leaving the house. Light sleeper" he explained which was not entirely a lie. Yes he would wake up at a random noise but he hadn't heard her moving but he knew that the living areas didn't clean and polish themselves in the night or a number house chores that had done these past week. He'd make a note to do them on the weekend or on a half day only for the work to be done in the night.

"Anyway, I'm trying to find the balance again it's just a little hard with everything going on" Kate said putting the glass down and losing her eyes as she felt lightheaded.

"You ok?" Evan asked as Kate had paled considerably he was thinking she was about to hurf the green smoothie and wondered if he should be directing her to the sink.

"Fine, just a little woozy" Kate said.

"Probably the green stuff in this smoothie" he told her.

"Popeye ate spinach all the time and was perfectly fine" Kate told him with humour tiniting her voice.

"Popeye?" Evan asked as he had never heard of such a thing.

"1920's Cartoon Sailor, eating spinach made him strong" Kate said as she bent over and rested her head on the bench counter with a sigh.

"Why don't you sit down for a moment? you're not looking well" Evan suggested.

"No, I gotta go to work" Kate said as she straightened up and downed the smoothie. She washed the glass and placed it into the dishwasher before double checking she had her baton and gun. "I'll stop by the market and pick up some fresh fruit and vegies" she said, her head swooned badly this time she didn't argue as she was sure she was going to pass out and so she moved to the table slowly and sat down.

"I can do that. You know if you aren't well you shouldn't be going to work" Evan told her as he sat down at the table but on the side facing the veranda so he could keep an eye on the kids but also keep an eye on her.

"I'm fine just everything catching up" Kate said with a mumble as she was trying to make the room stop spinning in her head. She really didn't like being unwell and she had to keep reminding herself 'only another 8 months'.

She always thought she would be happy when she finally became pregnant but right now she wasn't enjoying any of it. It just made her feel incredibly lost and sad. She made a deal with herself to take it easy and while she couldn't have the joy and happiness she was going to make sure she was internally the healthiest she could be and follow Elisabeth's orders. She also told herself that the joy and happiness that she watched Alicia and Taylor have would come to her she just had to get through the current rough patch.

"Let me know if that smoothie is going to catch up with the table"

"Oh don't worry it's staying where it is. I just need a moment" Kate said.

"Ok-" Evan didn't get to start the sentence as Alicia came through the front door.

"Hello" She said with a smile as she came into house. Kate and Evan turned to her with smiles making Alicia immediately suspicious as to what they were talking about.

"Hey, how are you?" Kate said in greeting as she leaned back into her chair slouching comfortably. Only Kate would insist on a proper dining table with chairs that had backs. Alicia found it endlessly amusing since she was always

"Good, how's everything with you two?" Alicia asked as she took a seat at the table.

"Fine" Kate said while Evan simultaneously said "Kate's ready pass out".

"Snitch" Kate said giving him a dark look. It was nearly a perfect sibling moment except that Kate wasn't actually related to Alicia and Evan.

"Kate?" Alicia asked with a smile though inwardly concerned.

"Feeling a little washed out nothing more" Kate assured Alicia as she shot Evan a dirty look for telling Alicia. Alicia moved to Kate's side and felt Kate's forehead for a temperature.

"You're feeling a little warm. Maybe you should take the day off and rest" Alicia suggested as she moved to the bathroom for a thermometer.

"Oh no- where are you going?" Kate asked her.

"To get a thermometer from the bathroom, if you are 38 degrees or higher celcius then you are staying home." Alicia told her.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Shannon house,

"You want to tell me what is so interesting about that cup of coffee?" Jim asked as he sat opposite Elisabeth at the dining table.

"Sorry, what?" Elisabeth asked she had been completely distracted by her concerns for Kate and the future she didn't hear the question. Kate was a close friend of Elisabeth and her family and Elisabeth knew Jim thought of Kate as his little sister as he annoyed and teased her like one. As such Elisabeth worried about Kate as she was always pushing herself and yesterday the woman was an emotional wreck.

"You've been staring at it for past ten minutes you barely said goodbye to Maddy and Zoe" Jim commented.

"They are gone?"She asked amazed she hadn't registered her own kids leaving the house.

"Yeah, not like you what's going on? Is it Malcolm?" Jim asked.

"No" Elisabeth said shaking her head as she took a sip and made a face as the coffee was bitterly cold.

"Is it Kate? I heard she passed out yesterday, she giving you trouble?" Jim asked with a joking smile.

"I can't tell you" Elisabeth told him which made his mind click as he knew his wife was referring to Kate. He had heard Kate passed out but that was it though if it was Elisabeth would have just told him that. Though he was concerned about Kate she was wasting away not just physically but mentally she just wasn't there. It was like the lights were on but nobody was home.

"Oh so it's like that?" he asked as he knew they were going to play their little game of 'Doctor Patient confidentiality code breaking' game.

"Doctor Patient confidentiality" Elisabeth told him, and the game was on. They didn't play it very often but with good reason as half the time Jim learned things he wished never to know like Boylan having a tattoo on his ass. He didn't know what was worse knowing Boylan had a tattoo down there or that his wife had seen it.

"Damn why is it all the good stuff is covered by that?" Jim asked sarcastically.

"Not everything I know is good" Elisabeth reminded him.

"Ok is she dying?" Jim asked not wanting them to lose focuse and digress.

"Not for a very long time" Elisabeth answered.

"That's a relief. Ok well she wasn't quarantined so it's not contagious, I figured it was just fatigue that made her pass out but now I'm thinking more" Jim drawled as Elisabeth gave him the 'are you stupid' look when he said contagious.

"Are you?" Elisabeth asked innocently.

"Should I be looking out for her more than I usually do?" Jim asked.

"Yes"

"Why?"

"Can't tell you that"

"How much more should I be looking out for her?"

"Can't tell you that without breaking my confidence"

"You don't make this easy" Jim told her as he remembered the another one of many reasons why they didn't play this game and that was it took more than a couple of hours to figure out something that could usually take Elisabeth 5 minutes to tell him. It was definitely a waste of practical time.

"You're the detective" Elisabeth told him in a smart arse fashion.

"Ok, she's pregnant?" Jim asked in a joking manner as he figured it would be the last thing wrong with Kate but Elisabeth raised an eyebrow. "Oh" he said as he nodded comprehending he had just figured it out "You know I'm not feeling as surprised as I should be" Jim said Elisabeth smacked his arm. "Ow! What?! It was bound to happen with the way those two are. Lock the door is it so hard to do? I don't need these mental images scarring me" he said defensively.

"Jim!" Elisabeth scolded.

"Sorry?" he asked it earned him another smack in the arm. He laughed this time as he had done it one purpose.

"Honestly you can't tell her that you know because then she'll think I told you and she'll not trust me" Elisabeth said in a serious tone.

"Ok but she has to tell me soon so I can have her fill out all the appropriate forms and we work out a new schedule. I'll have to find a replacement for her and begin training said person-"

"Half days" Elisabeth told him and cutting him off from his rant about what he would have to do.

"So you two have talked about this?" Jim asked.

"Well I told her more than us talking. I think she's in denial and I'm worried she'll push herself too hard and I'm just worried about her she wasn't happy."

"Of course she isn't happy. It's not exactly the dream. Malcolm in a coma, she's pregnant and knowing her she probably feels completely out of her depth and alone. Yeah she has us and Wash and Taylor but it's not the same as having someone who'll be there around the clock to support her. Then she has all the what if's to add to that. It's not easy" Jim said Elisabeth was amazed at how insightful Jim could be "I really hope she doesn't vomit around me or on me" he added which made Elisabeth smiled as there was the Jim she knew and loved.

* * *

"37.9" Alicia said as she read the thermometer.

"Oh yeah I beat the thermometer! I'm off to work" Kate said jumping out of her seat, she stopped in her place as her head rushed. When her equilibrium returned she continued. "Ok I'm out of here. I have my comm. so if you guys need me just give me a buzz" Kate told them as she left the house.

"She's a little weird" Evan told Alicia after the door closed.

"Only a little?" Alicia scoffed in good humour as she placed the thermometer on the table.

"Alright anyway you sure you want to look after the kids this morning?"

"Why do you ask me this every morning?" Alicia asked him.

"Because I don't know if you noticed but you are pregnant with twins" Evan said mockingly as if it were news to Alicia.

"Oh my god, that explains so much" Alicia said in a equally mocking tone before they both laughed.

"But seriously I don't want my kids putting you into premature labour cause then it will all be my fault and I'm not ready for the responsibility" Evan told her, Alicia made a derisive noise and rolled her eyes.

"Please, your kids are tame in comparison to the little monsters that run free around this colony. Now go to work" Alicia said shooing him away as she was ready to look after the kids.

"What? I can't have some herbal non caffeinated tea with my sister first?" he asked innocently.

"You're not going to work" Alicia said as a statement than a question.

"You're right, I'm working from home" Evan told her, he didn't want to add that he was hiding from the overly friendly female scientists and colonists who made him feel like fresh meat.

"Who is she?" Alicia asked with a teasing fashion.

"Who?" Evan asked being obtuse.

"The woman you are trying to avoid?" Alicia drawled with an amused smile.

"Try women. Are there not enough men in this colony?" Evan asked. Alicia laughed.

"The men outnumber the women but who can resist a head turner like you" Alicia teased.

"I hoped since I have 'baggage' I'd be an unappealing prospect" he said as he gestured to said 'baggage' that were currently on the back veranda playing nicely together.

"Nope it's what women like to call an instant family plus if they ended up marrying you then they would be related to Terra Nova Royalty" Alicia said in a mocking tone. Evan laughed at her shaking his head as he felt Taylor was the furthest from Royalty one could get.

* * *

"You want to tell me something?" Jim asked Kate as they walked along the main pathway of the West Perimeter. Like every other day it was a quiet one where Jim spent most of his time doing paperwork or walking around with Kate maintaining a presence and also it gave them time to discuss security measures and other business. They had spent the last fifteen minutes walking in silence not for a lack of trying on Jim's part as he really didn't like silence unless it was after 11pm and all dirty whispering was exhausted between him and Elisabeth.

"No, why?" Kate asked.

"You are acting strange" Jim told her.

"I am? How?" Kate asked slightly worried she was already giving out flags of 'hey I'm pregnant look at me!'. She really didn't want anyone knowing she was pregnant as she could see the pity in a few of the colonist's eyes as they walked by or when they said 'hello' before passing them. It made her feel pathetic and wish she never left the Military side of the colony. At least the soldiers and sixers had better poker faces.

"You are …I don't know slower than-"Jim stopped as a loud crash and a scream sounded out in the direction of the construction site of the secondary research labs. When they reached the site they found Haynes shouting at Tuttle otherwise nicknamed Turtle who was the site manager.

"You have got to be kidding me" Kate said as it had been a waste of run since no one looked injured. She and Jim slowed to a walk as they reached Turtle and Haynes. It seemed every few days for the past few weeks Haynes would crop up with some problem or aggravating someone for some stupid reason. She also liked to yank on Kate's strings when she showed up trying to pick some kind of fight. Most of the time Jim stepped in and dismissed Kate before she got the itch to pull her gun and shot the woman.

"Hey!" Jim shouted waving a hand in front of Haynes. "What are you screaming about?" he asked cutting her off mid rant to whatever her problem was today. Haynes was singularly the most problematic person in the colony. Kate looked to Turtle who was a taciturn man by nature, he just stood in his place arms folded and gave a shrug to Kate that translated to 'not much I can do but stand here and take the abuse'.

"His workers nearly killed me" Haynes spat angrily as she glared at Turtle.

"It's a construction site Doctor. No unauthorised personnel should be on the site or did you miss the signage and the barriers telling you so on your way in?" Kate asked her as she gesture to said signage and barriers.

"Of course not" Haynes said, she went red as she realised what she had just admitted to her own stupidity.

"So you didn't miss the signage advising to wear a hard hat or any of the other safety measures advised to keep you safe?" Kate asked her as she knew she and Jim were breaking those protocols it didn't matter as construction had come to a stop to watch the scene.

"Please, I came to check on the progress to find they are building it wrong. When Dr Wallace wakes up he'll be incredibly angry" Haynes told them in an uppity manner.

"What's wrong with it?" Jim asked as he mentally kicked himself for asking but the words had already left his mouth.

"Nothing" Kate said looking at the building. "If anything it's incredibly sturdy with thicker crossbeams and posts. The structure had been reinforced it's better than before" She pointed out as she was not going to let Haynes bait her with the 'I know Dr Wallace better than you'.

"Exactly" Haynes said Jim and Kate along with Turtle looked at her perplexed as to why it was a bad thing.

"So you're screaming because they are making the building stronger and more stable than it was before?" Kate asked incredulously as she felt the last shreds of her patience flee her.

"It compromises the internal sizing" Haynes told them, Kate and Jim looked to Turtle who gave an exasperated sigh.

"It doesn't compromise the interior. We enlarged the floor plan to accommodate the new structure. Haynes screamed because Matty and Luke dropped some excess steel beams over the side. Well clear of hurting anyone and the crashing noise scared her." Turtle said matter of factorily.

"I wasn't scared" Haynes said folding her arms.

"Fine, so everybody is ok?" Jim asked them. Turtle nodded as Kate and Jim did a quick look around and made the same assumption as no one was groaning in pain or physically injured that would require medical attention.

"No one is hurt but I'd appreciate it if you remove Dr Haynes from the construction site as she is trespassing. I'd like to get back to work and have the current stage complete before sundown" Turtle said.

"Of course, Dr Haynes let's move this outside the construction site" Jim suggested gesturing for her to leave.

"You can't just make me leave. I need to oversee the reconstruction" Haynes said.

"Actually you're not qualified or authorised to be on a construction site. So if you don't move we can fine for trespassing and aggravating the peace. Now move it before I have a mind to write you up" Kate told her. Kate had no intention of filling out the 5 page formal report and paperwork to give Haynes a fine but figured it would get Haynes moving.

The brunette turned to face Kate head on with her hands on her hips and her face scrunched in the 'I'm your superior' look. It was indeed an unattractive look for her and amusing as the woman was 5ft 6 to Kate's 5 ft 8 height so she really had no way of intimidating Kate if she tried.

"Oh so now you have a gun and were deputised by Taylor you think you can order me around?" Haynes asked her snidely.

"I don't need a gun to make you move but I think it might be in your best interests to move on your own volition" Kate told her in a calm yet cold manner. Haynes slightly reared back at Kate's manner as usually Kate saw this game of wills as amusing but today Kate wanted nothing better to do than to lock the woman in with Lucas in the brig and forget about her.

"Well if you'll excuse me I should go and visit Dr Wallace" Haynes said with an indignant sniff.

"Visiting hours aren't for another two hours" Kate informed her.

"Dr Wallace is in a coma I seriously doubt visiting hours apply to him" Haynes told her in a patronizing tone.

"It's the consideration of the other patients and it is highly inappropriate for you to be visiting with him as you are his subordinate not someone of equal standing or personal affiliation like a friend or loved one" Kate told her. Jim and Turtle watched as Kate usually let Dr Haynes's comments roll off her like water on a duck's back but apparently not today.

"Oh because you know all about what's appropriate and what isn't. I wonder how Dr Wallace will feel when he wakes up to find out his fiancé is shacked up with another man and two kids in his home. I'm sure it won't bode well when he sees you're not wearing your engagement ring. Already thrown Malcolm over for another man" Haynes said innocently as she looked at Kate's left hand. Kate felt herself boil at the comment.

"Dr Haynes you are skating on thin ice" Jim warned Dr Haynes as he could see Kate was getting angry.

"I'm only repeating common knowledge." Haynes said mockingly. Kate stepped forward and used her height and steely gaze to intimidate Haynes as she was growing tired of being slandered by the woman. The truth was the words cut deeply and while she steeled her outward appearance inwardly she wanted to cry.

"Common knowledge is that it's mine and Malcolm's house, it's also common knowledge that I'm completely devoted to my fiancé and if he woke up and I wasn't there. He'd understand that I have responsibilities like everyone else. So stop pushing my buttons and go home or the labs I don't care just get out of my sight" Kate told her in the same calm and cold manner though it was easy to see Haynes had struck a nerve in Kate.

"Is that a threat? Did you hear her tone?" Haynes asked Jim and Turtle.

"I'm counting to three" Kate drawled, she barely lifted one finger in her count down when Haynes walked away without a fuss. Once Haynes was out of sight, she dropped her head and closed her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose taking a moment. Her emotions were completely out of wack, sure it had been like that for a week or more but taday she was struggling to keep a grip on them. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up and gave a weak smile to Turtle.

"Thank you, I owe you a drink. Now if you two could be so kind to get off the construction site so I can put these guys to work?" Turtle asked her.

"No problem" Kate told him with a mock salute. Kate and Jim walked out of the construction area and soon Turtle was shouting to the men to get back to work.

"You have to stop doing that" Jim told her once they were out of hearing range of anyone wandering around.

"What?" Kate asked innocently as she knew she had taken a clear step over a distinctly marked line in the dirt about being an upstanding officer and holding up the principles of a good role model but Haynes was a pain in her ass and Kate was too tired to play nice.

"Showing your scary colours" Jim said.

"My scary colours" Kate repeated still playing innocent.

"Yeah, what's going on? You are normally a lot more patience than that with Haynes and don't get me wrong she was baiting you big time. But should I be giving you time off?" Jim asked her, Kate dropped her head and gave a sigh before she lifted it up and looked at Jim throwing her hands up.

"I don't know" Kate admitted.

"I get Malcolm being in a coma is tough. No one would think less of you if you just took the time off instead of burning the candle at both ends. Obviously the lack of sleep is making you a little mental" Jim told her.

"Do you want me to take time off?" Kate asked him ignoring the mental comment.

"No, I find it really amusing to watch you scare away the annoying colonists but I'm a tad concerned you might be burning out maybe cracking it" he told her. Kate looked around noting there was no one in hearing range and glad he chose not to say this in front of others.

"I'm not cracking it" Kate told him.

"Really? Because that looked like a sign of the beginning of the end. I really don't want you to burn out and if you need a week off or more to sort yourself out and get your head on straight then take it." Jim told her.

"I'm exhausted, I'm not burning out or anything like that"

"Really?" he asked her sceptically. She felt something inside her tweak as he asked that question instead of letting the topic drop.

"Did your wife tell you?" Kate asked him getting suspicious as she felt he was trying to prompt her. Kate narrowed her eyes and assessed his reactions carefully.

"Tell me what?" Jim asked looking at her with the same look as if mocking her.

"Oh my god! You know!" Kate exclaimed disappointed in Elisabeth and equally annoyed that Jim wasn't a better liar. As she knew Elisabeth told him out of concern not for the purpose of idle gossip.

"I know what?" he asked innocently.

"Doctor Patient confidentiality my ass" Kate said disapprovingly.

"Hey, Liz has told me nothing" Jim told her.

"But you know don't you?" Kate asked.

"Know what?" Jim asked looking at her with confusion.

"You're the worst liar!" she told him.

"I don't know what you're referring to" he said being obtuse.

"Ok how did you figure it out?" Kate asked him

"Figure out what?"

"Jim!" She exclaimed frustrated he was being so obtuse when she knew that he knew about her being pregnant and now she needed to know how he found out.

"Ok fine I know, but Liz told me nothing" Jim assured her.

"Then how do you know? I only found out yesterday"

"I guessed, I have been through the experience three times I know the signs coupled with the fact you and Malcolm are quite amorous becaus-"

"Yeah you walked in on us that one time. Will you ever stop bringing that up?" Kate asked cutting Jim off. He grinned and she couldn't help but smile even though she was upset that her secret was fast becoming public knowledge.

"Hey don't get yourself twisted in knots about it. You vomiting that day after seeing Lucas tops the you and Malcolm having sex in his office"

"That's great to know" Kate drawled in a passive aggressive manner she felt like kicking Jim in the shin and being entirely petulant and cry.

"You should tone down on the negativity. It's not good for the-"

"Uh no don't say that word or any word related to that word if you like your limbs unbroken" Kate warned him.

"Ok, can I at least know how long you were going to wait to tell me this news?"

"Another 6 weeks when I clear the first hurdle. Don't tell anyone else please I don't need this getting around" Kate pleaded.

"Tell anyone else what?" he asked.

"Exactly" Kate said as she started walking.

"You want to go and get something to eat?" Jim said falling into step with her.

"It's barely 10am" Kate told him.

"In the civilised world we call it Morning tea" he told her with a grin.

"I've been to your world it is far from civilised" Kate scoffed.

* * *

Late in the afternoon,

"Ok let's see what's going on this week" Elisabeth said to Taylor and Alicia. She turned on the holographic display and proceeded to run the scans on Alicia who was lying on the biobed.

Elisabeth displayed holographic images of the twin girls and smiled softly as she really did love babies. She also enjoyed watching the parents get to excited over their baby or babies in this case. She turned her attention to the scans and readings.

"It doesn't get old" Taylor mused as he looked at the images being projected above the bed.

"No it doesn't" Alicia said smiling she intertwined her fingers with Taylor's as they were mesmerised by their babies.

"Well everything looks well within normal parameters. Babies and Mother are in excellent health but I still want to keep you on weekly visits just to be on the safe side" Elisabeth said after a few minutes of reading the scans.

"That's fine" Alicia said.

"I'll send a copy of the images to your plex but for now you can go out and enjoy the rest of your day" Elisabeth said as she turned off the bio bed the holograms flickered out of existence.

Alicia looked to Taylor and he helped pull her upright so she was sitting on the bed. "I can't wait for the next 10 weeks to go. I'm ready to have my body be unoocupied" Alicia said.

"Sorry" Taylor said as it was his genes that predisposed them to have twins.

"No you're not" Alicia told him with a chuckle.

"You're right I think we should have another baby" Taylor said Alicia gaped at him for a moment before she spoke as she was pretty sure after having twins she would be done for a while.

"Why don't we see how we go with these two first before anymore crazy ideas float through you noggin" Alicia told him as she slid off the bed and righted her maxi dress. "Will you be home for dinner?" she asked as she noticed Taylor looking at Kate who was sitting at Malcolm's bedside. Alicia wanted to sit with her friend but her body was begging for an afternoon nap and so she had decided she have a nap and come back knowing Kate would still be there.

"Yes, but don't worry I'll get the food and make it. I think I'm going sit with Kate for a bit" Taylor said. Alicia nodded.

"Ok, I'll see you at home for dinner" Alicia said before they gave each other a quick kiss goodbye. He watched Alicia move to Elisabeth to have a few words before he turned and moved toward Malcolm's bed.

"Kate" Taylor said as he dragged up a chair to the opposite side of the bed from Kate and drew the curtain closed behind him as he didn't want to be interrupted. He also wanted to be able to watch her reactions and emotions.

"Taylor" Kate said.

"Rumour has it you passed out yesterday"

"Yeah it happens, I just have to remember to eat and drink more" Kate said with a casual shrug. Taylor gave a wry smile as it was the expected answer to any further prodding to how she was looking after herself.

"How are the twins, I noticed you guys over there" Kate said as she held Malcolm's hand. She never spoke to him as she felt silly talking to him when he wouldn't respond.

"Healthy and growing strong" Taylor said.

"That's great" Kate said with genuine interest and joy at the news.

"It is. You know if you want to take some leave-"

"I don't want to go on leave. I need to something outside of this to keep me from going out of my mind." Kate told Taylor cutting him off. She couldn't sit by Malcolm's bed for long periods of time without it becoming incredibly painful.

"Copy that but I don't want you overextending yourself" Taylor told her.

"Jim has already been on my case about this and I appreciate the concern. I do but-" Kate was cut off when Haynes's voice spoke loudly in the room.

"Let me guess Deputy Renshaw forbade me and you're adhering to her wishes? She has no claim over him. She is not his wife and doesn't even have his power of attorney. So no matter how many threats she makes they are worthless!" Haynes said loud enough for the entire room to hear.

Taylor looked at Kate whose expression was a mixture of pain and anger but clearly the words had cut deeply especially the about her not being Malcolm's wife as she immediately touched her left ring finger where the engagement ring used to be before she had to trade it for medicine.

Taylor pointed at Kate getting her attention "You stay as you are" he told her in a low voice, he couldn't believe Haynes's had the power to draw tears from the redhead but obviously Kate was a raw nerve from the fatigue. He moved to the curtain and was careful to not open it too wide as he would deal with Haynes himself.


	31. Chapter 31

A few moments ago,

"Dr Haynes I'm surprised you are here" Elisabeth said as the woman avoided the infirmary since the accident. She figured Haynes was ashamed that she had survived minor injuries nothing to warrant the attention Malcolm had required.

"I wanted to know how Dr Wallace is doing" Haynes said she looked around her eyes landing on the closed curtain aroung Malcolm's bed. The fabric was opaque so only the shadow of a person sitting in a chair was visible from this angle.

"He's good, all of his injuries have resolved themselves with exception of the coma" Elisabeth informed her.

"I wish to sit with him" Haynes said in a such a manner as if it were expected but Elisabeth stepped in her way.

"I'm sorry but he's already has a visitor and I prefer you not intrude" Elisabeth told her as she didn't want Haynes interrupting Kate's time with Malcolm even though Taylor was with Kate she knew Taylor's presence was welcome whereas Haynes was not.

"Let me guess Deputy Renshaw forbade me and you're adhering to her wishes? She has no claim over him. She is not his wife and doesn't even have his power of attorney no matter how many threats she makes but they are worthless" Haynes saidin a loud and droll voice it was loud enough that the whole room had paused to listen. Elisabeth looked to the curtained off room and saw Taylor's tall frame get up from the chair.

"What is all this racket?" Taylor asked as he came from behind said curtain around Malcolm's bed closing it behind him.

"Oh Commander I apologise I thought someone else was visiting with Malcolm" Haynes said with smile her tone one of pure arrogance as she was sure she wouldn't be put in her place for being completely out of line.

"Malcolm? I didn't realise Dr Wallace allowed such familiarity with his subordinates" Taylor remarked casually. Malcolm was notorious for maintaining a professional distance from all of his staff refering to them by their title and surname as he didn't want to show favouritism. The only time he had shown any lapse was with Elisabeth but they had gone to the same college and had history.

"He is my colleague and I consider him a friend I don't see why it is so unusual I refer to him by his first name" Haynes said with a shrug trying to downplay her faux pas.

"Ok then do you care to explain what you were saying about Deputy Renshaw making threats? I should remind you that it is a serious allegation" Taylor said folding his arms across his chest and looking down at her.

"I thought it was her in there" Haynes said going red faced as she obviously didn't expect to be called on her words as she had meant them to be heard by Kate not the Commander. She was only goading Kate out of her guilt for allowing Malcolm to be in the state he was. She couldn't stop herself from being rude and she also believed that Malcolm deserved someone of a higher station than Kate it was an odd balancing act in Haynes head on why Kate was undeserving even if the woman was 'good'.

"So you said loudly to a whole room that she made threat to purposely draw her out for a confrontation? I hear it's something that has been happening a lot lately" Taylor remarked it never ceased to amaze him how quickly word travelled around a small colony. It also helped with Guzman who kept an ear to the ground listening to what the Colony had to say.

"No, I wanted Elisabeth to explain to her that Kate can't dictate who gets to see Mal- Dr Wallace and who doesn't. I got a little heated in the discussion I would never be so malicious or stupid to pick a fight with someone of her past history and the threats were implied by her tone not verbalised" Haynes said as she continued to ramble. "I have to say it wasn't your best decision to hand her a gun and deputise her allowing such a person to have free run around the colony."

"Thank you for your opinion but if she didn't threaten you with words of physically hurt you then why are you implying so to a whole room?" Taylor asked he looked around to see people busying themselves so as not to look like they were eavesdropping.

"I ah" Haynes stumbled. Taylor gave a nod of comprehension as he took a step closer to her so they could talk at a lower level.

"Right why don't I give you my opinion now? Deputy Renshaw earned her position; she underwent rigorous training and psychological evaluations for months if you bothered at all to pay attention. I didn't just hand her a gun and set her loose on the colony." Taylor told her.

"I didn't mean-" she started only for Taylor to shake his head at her.

"I'm not finished. You came in here to slander a good officer in my ranks and to bait her into a fight. So if I have to I'll forbid you from the infirmary unless it is a medical emergency if I have to because I won't have you upsetting a woman who doesn't need the stress because you have bruised ego all because you think it was your fault Dr Wallace was injured because it was you who held him up in the labs which led to his subsequent injuries" Taylor said Haynes eyes went wide as she didn't think anyone knew "Yes I know what happened. You got scared no shame in that but what you're doing now is poor conduct. It doesn't become you. Now I suggest you leave and have a lovely afternoon elsewhere" Taylor said in a low voice as a mark of respect that Haynes didn't deserve but he did so that those in the room could think what they like.

Haynes grew quiet as Taylor had never put her in her place before now. Her cheeks were a deep red from embarrassment as she gave a nod and walked away completely speechless. Elisabeth wished she could have applauded the Commander but knew he was angry as he disliked it immensely when people talked about Kate. He couldn't stop gossip entirely but he could silence a few of the gossipmongers especially Haynes.

"I don't know where that woman's head is at" Taylor said to Elisabeth shaking his head in disbelief.

"Neither do I but I do know Haynes has been interfering with Kate on and off these past few weeks" Elisabeth said with an exasperated sigh. She just wanted to cocoon Kate in safe little bubble where no one could stress her further and give her some peace. It wasn't good for Kate normally to be so stressed but it was worse with her being pregnant.

"Why can't everyone in the colony just play nice for one week?" Taylor asked.

"Well I do believe the colony played nice when the Outposts were still open. That's why we had the outposts right?" Elisabeth asked innocently.

"The Outposts were for research not for giving grown adults time out" Taylor said shaking his head as he chuckled at the thought that no matter how old people got they still had the propensity to act like children.

"Well perhaps you should consider reopening a couple of them and sending Haynes back out" Elisabeth suggested in a low voice. She could do without the woman on the base.

"Don't tempt me Doc" Taylor said as he left her to do her work and moved back to Malcolm's bed and pulled the curtain open and stepped in. Kate was sitting with a ramrod straight back, her face was pale and blotchy from crying as her eyes were bloodshot. Obviously all of Haynes words had struck a cord within her but then Kate had been more emotional of late.

"I don't threaten people. I didn't threaten her" Kate said she had ducked her head like a chastised child and looked incredibly vulnerable.

"I know you think it's a waste of time to make threats when you can just jump into action" Taylor said as he watched the a couple tears slip down her face, his heart twisted at the raw emotion displayed in Kate's expression. It was not healthy for her to be acting the way she was in Taylor's opinion and he wished Malcolm would for once do them all a favour and wake already.

"You shouldn't let her upset you" Taylor said.

"It's true, I'm not his wife and I have no legal standing or rights over Malcolm." Kate said he noticed how she touched her empty left ring finger where her engagement ring had been. He wondered if she knew she was doing it or not.

"To be honest I always thought Malcolm was batting for the other team" Taylor said, Kate chuckled and he smiled as he managed to get her to laugh and smile even just a little.

"It's how he cares about his appearance a little too closely?" Kate asked.

"That and I have never caught him eying a woman and most of the scientists he picked to come through the portal were men with exception of Dr Shannon and a couple of other women scientists" Taylor said with a shrug.

"Tell me Haynes wasn't one of them" Kate said, she didn't want Haynes to possess that connection with Malcolm or any connection at all.

"She wasn't, she was assigned by the people in charge of the Project on Hope Plaza side." Taylor said.

"I asked Jim if I could do half days and be on call" Kate said.

"That's fine, not like there's much policing to be done you're pretty much Jim's personal assistant" Taylor said.

"And scarecrow apparently" Kate added with an exhausted sigh/

"Too pretty to be a scarecrow" Taylor told her.

"I look like crap" Kate said.

"Nothing a few solid meals and a solid eight hours couldn't fix" Taylor said.

"You don't have to sit with me" Kate said.

"Does it bother you that you don't have the ring?" Taylor asked her.

"Sometimes but then I didn't have a choice in parting with it" Kate said.

"You know I could get another made an exact copy, Malcolm would never know"

"I would know and what's the point? Malcolm might wake up a vegetable and it would be just a reminder of what future we have lost" Kate said in a pained thought as she put her head down on the bed. "I wish he would wake up, I hate this sitting here and waiting the longer we wait the more I believe he will never wake up. I need him to wake up" Kate said.

Taylor listened to the pain and disparity in her voice. She was so deeply invested in the future she had with Malcolm she was not ready to give him up not matter how much pain it gave her. He knew that grief and that love of another person very well and how much it ached to lose them in the end.

* * *

A couple of weeks passed with ease, little changed in Alicia's world except that she was pretty sure her stomach was ridiculously huge to the point she'd rather stay indoors than waddle slowly around the compound. She didn't like the attention and hated people telling her how huge she was and touching her stomach without permission. There was also the joint and muscle aches of carrying around so much extra weight that also put her off walking around as well.

The only time she left the house was to walk across the road to Kate's house. Evan's house was going up quite well but not fast enough as 5 weeks had now been extended to 9 due to shortages in materials. It didn't bother Evan or Kate as the two were already in a pattern of shared living and the kids were settled and were enjoying their new life in Terra Nova with all the novelties of nature and being able to play outside without rebreathers.

It probably helped that there were other kids their age they could play with now Evan took them to the local day care three days a week as Alicia had to admit she was way too big to be running around and playing aunt by herself. The other two days Evan worked from home so Alicia came over and sometimes Kate would be around. She however appeared to have fallen to some kind of sleeping sickness as Jim gave her the last three days off. She was falling asleep all the time, which Elisabeth said was a common side effect of the pregnancy as it was starting to rear it's ugly head.

So far it was the only overt sign Kate was showing as she wasn't having morning sickness or any other symptoms. It irked Alicia as she had been vomiting all over the shop and feeling miserable whereas Kate was just falling asleep everywhere. At the dinner table, standing in the kitchen waiting for the kettle boil, she had fallen asleep during her yoga practice which led to Kate pulling a hamstring.

Alicia had to admit it was kind of cute when Kate had fallen asleep on the couch one afternoon and Olivia climbed up and had a nap with her. She wondered how her brother felt about having a woman with some similarities to his deceased wife but didn't want to ask as she felt it was inappropriate. It had to be weird watching Kate and Olivia play as Alicia could see Olivia being Kate's kid especially as Olivia's red hair had lightened from time in the sun not dramatically but enough that one could mistake Kate and Olivia as family.

Alicia closed the front door to her house and walked across the road to Kate's house, she liked how she never had to knock and just let herself.

"Lisha, Lisha!" Olivia said running up to Alicia half naked. She was wearing a nappy and bright purple tights and nothing else. Alicia closed the door before she was nearly knocked off balance as Olivia wrapped her arms around Alicia's legs and hid.

"Olivia!" Evan called out in a frustrated tone as he followed the little girl holding a light purple dress that was obviously the top half. "Hey sis" he said.

"How are you?" Alicia asked in amusement.

"Great can't complain except about my daughter's new proclivity to run around topless" Evan said looking down at Olivia who looked up from behind Alicia's legs with the cheekiest of grins. The little girl giggled and hid her head behind Alicia's legs.

"Every father's worst nightmare" Alicia drawled dryly.

"Tell me about it" Evan grumbled before he ran to the open back door and closed before Olivia got any ideas about running outside.

"Where's Sean?" Alicia asked, she knew Evan had some sort of strategy to get Olivia into her dress and decided it was best to stay still instead of tripping over the little girl who was still clutching to her legs giggling.

"Kate took him to the school for me. The Day care said it might be wise for him to do some testing to see what level he's at. He'll be doing the tests for an hour and then I'll pick him up." Evan said as he started to cirlce Alicia.

"It's his language skills they are quite impressive for a kid his age" Alicia said.

"Thanks to you and Kate" Evan said as he circled around Alicia and then snatched Olivia off from behind lifting the girl into his arm. Olivia wailed and cried as she wiggled like worm. Evan moved to the couch and went to work putting the dress.

"That's right scream all you like kiddo but you are wearing a dress if it kills me" Evan said as he managed get one arm and Olivia's head through the holes in the dress.

"No!" Olivia said, Alicia laughed at the scene until Evan won out and Olivia was wearing the dress.

"Oh yeah! Dad-1 and Olivia-0" Evan said as he hugged and kissed Olivia before releasing the little girl. Alicia sat down on the lounge and was still laughing as soon as Olivia was far enough from Evan she pulled the dress off.

"Oh looks like its Olivia -1 and Dad- 0" Alicia said.

"Great, excuse me while I go chase the little exhibitionist" Evan said getting up from the lounge.

"At least she's keeping her pants on" Alicia said as she laughed and watched Evan pick up the discarded dress and go on the chase for his daughter.

"Oh I can't wait until it's your turn so I can sit back and laugh" Evan told her as he disappeared into one of the bedrooms.

"Hey I was thinking you and the kids could come over to my house for dinner" Alicia said a little louder to compensate for Evan not being in the room.

"You sure?" He asked as Alicia heard more giggling and movement from the room.

"Yes, I'm always coming over here I think it's about time I cooked for you and the kids and Kate too" Alicia added Kate figuring Evan would appreciate her being there and be more inclined to say yes.

"Taylor be there?" Evan asked as he reappeared with a very fussy Olivia who was now fully dressed yet again. She was making whining noises and trying to wiggle out of Evan's arm but he was not letting her go until she settled down and accepted the fact she would have to remain clothed until he left to go pick up Sean.

"Yes, I want a proper family dinner" Alicia told him.

"OK, as long as you don't expect Olivia to keep her clothes on for the whole meal" Evan told her as Olivia made a huffy noise and settled down but it didn't make Evan loosen his hold as he knew it was an act. Alicia laughed again.

"It's ok, if anything it will make the evening entertaining" Alicia commented.

* * *

"You know he has a rather large head" Jim said as he sat down next to Kate at Malcolm's bedside. Kate was sitting forward in her chair and was currently laying her head on the bed as she was exhausted to the bone and didn't want to move. She had sat through Sean's testing session before Evan picked him up. The teachers said they preferred to teach the kid without a parent present so they couldn't be prompted but felt Kate was fine as she was not a relative. After she left the school she went to the infirmary as it was her day off. She decided to sit with Malcolm and then spend her afternoon sleeping before dinner.

"What?" Kate asked as she turned her head to look at him. He had only been sitting next to her for about 5 minutes before he couldn't remain silent any longer. She wondered how Elisabeth survived but then Elisabeth had informed her that Jim was good at companionable silence when he was so inclined he just decided he prefered to talk. she commented it had something to do with his time in Golad.

"His head, it's huge" Jim told her like it was a fact.

"It's the short hair and no beard" Kate told him as she looked at Malcolm. She really missed the facial hair the most out of all the changes it made him sexier in her opinion and there was the fact that when he woke up he'd want to grow it out and she'd be the one suffering stubble rash until it was back to it's usual length.

"No he has a huge head and your kids heads are gonna be just as huge and you'll have to push it out of your-" Jim started.

"Oh stop! Please don't talk about my bits and bobs" Kate said looking at him incredulously as he had even used hand gestures to emphasise what he was talking about. It was horrifying and she was glad the curtains were closed around the bed so no one else had witnessed it.

"Just saying" Jim said to her frankly.

"Well you've said enough" Kate told him.

"Any names yet?" he asked.

"Isn't it early to be talking about that and I don't want to talk about any of it. Just pretend you don't know ok?" Kate said as it was how she coped otherwise she would just get upset with the fact that if Malcolm didn't wake up there were many things he would never know and miss. She could put it to the back of her mind and cope it was easy she ate properly, slept an insane amount of hours and lowered her exercise hours. She took all the vitamins and maintained herself physically.

"Right, if that's what you want" Jim said a silence lapsed between but only lasted for a few moments before he spoke again "Did you eat breakfast today?" he asked.

"Oh for the love of- can you sit quietly?" She asked him as she just wanted to relax as best she could and Jim was currently stressing her out making her think about being pregnant and looking more closely at Malcolm's head now scared of ugly thoughts of their kid having a large head and getting stuck. Thoughts she didn't want to think about when Malcolm's head wasn't large, his ego yes but not his physical head.

"No, hey do you always just sit here and stare at him? because it's a little creepy" he told her.

"No I sit here and wait" she told him.

"In silence?" he asked Kate took a slow and fortifying breath as Jim was testing her patience normal she had it in abundance but lately it was in short supply.

"Yes ok? I feel a little bit weird talking to him when he won't answer back" Kate said agitated.

"You know it's the perfect time because he can't do anything but listen. You could just talk on for hours" Jim offered.

"Still wouldn't know what to say and I don't want people hearing things they shouldn't." Kate said.

"Right" Jim said, he got up from his chair and moved to looked down at Malcolm. Kate was immediately suspicious of Jim.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked as Jim lifted Malcolm's arm up.

"Just seeing something" Jim said as he lifted Malcolm's arm up further and then let it drop Malcolm's arm fell and his hand smacked him in the face.

"Jim!" Kate hissed as she jumped out of her seat. She looked around to see if anyone had noticed but no one was looking their way which was lucky as Kate was sure Elisabeth would've had a fit if she had seen Jim do that.

"What? Liz told me it's a test for seeing if someone is really in a coma I was wondering if it was true" Jim said as he chuckled at Kate's disapproving look though she couldn't hide her smile as it was pretty funny to watch.

"Well it didn't wake him up but don't do it again" Kate told him.

"Come on, let's go do rounds"

"I don't want to do rounds it's my day off"

"I'll buy you a cupcake" he said bribing her as if she were Zoe.

"I don't want a cupcake or a walk around the compound" Kate told him as she retook her seat.

"You need sunshine and oxygen if you don't walk with me I'll tell everyone you like to pick Malcolm's arm up and let it drop to watch him smack himself in the face" Jim said matter of factorily.

"No you wouldn't" Kate told him.

"Come on I'll buy you a fruit smoothie and a cupcake" Jim said he made that face that said he was going to spend the next two hours annoying her if she didn't go with him for a walk around the compound.

"Fine but only for half an hour and if I see Haynes I'm walking away" Kate told him.

"I can accept those terms if it's an hour at a leisurely pace" Jim said.

"Fine" Kate told Jim.

"I'll meet you outside" Jim said giving her some privacy. Kate leaned down and kissed Malcolm on the cheek and whispered that she loved him and she'd be back before looking at him one last time before heading out. It was the only time she spoke to him as everything else she wanted to tell was something she couldn't stand anyone else knowing before he did.

* * *

"Ok, I have 4 kilos Gallosaur and the vegetables you asked for. What's with the big meal?" Kate said as she carefully placed the meat and bag of vegetables on the kitchen bench of the Taylor residence. Alicia had message Kate with the shopping list knowing it was Kate's day off and that Kate would help her out.

"Family dinner. You're invited and helping me" Alicia told Kate there was no expectation Kate would say no.

"A girl needs to eat" Kate said as her version of saying 'yes I'll help thank you so much for asking'.

"Especially when she is eating for two" Alicia said.

"Yeah" Kate said with a lack of enthusiam.

"How are you feeling?" Alicia asked her.

"fine, you sit down before you drop a kid" Kate said looking warily at Alicia's form.

"Delightful Kate" Alicia replied dryly.

"What you're just so-"

"Huge?" Alicia supplied only Kate could get away with saying it as a fact not a gushy exclaimation followed with stomach touching and more comments that were pregnant related. Actually only her, Jim and Evan treated her like her usual self just with extensions.

"Yup so enjoy the free pass from cooking and sit down" Kate said pointing to the dining table. Alicia complied as her joints were killing her and the only time they didn't hurt was when she was sitting down.

"So do you know if you're having one baby or six?" Alicia asked as she took her seat at the table.

"No" Kate said as she started up packing the bags she had brought with her.

"Elisabeth didn't tell you?" Alicia asked surprised that Elisabeth wouldn't have told Kate.

"I asked her not to tell me" Kate said casually as she packed away the last of the dry goods and moved to the Gallosaur.

"Kate-"

"I don't want to know ok? I'm supposed to do this with Malcolm, I want him to be there when we find out all that stuff. So while he's in his stupid coma, I will keep myself in shape and do everything I'm supposed to. When I go for my first appointment will be next week, Elisabeth agreed to run the scans without the holographic displays and all that stuff. She'll tell me that everything is fine or not and what I need to do whether it cut down on something or adjust my vitamins etc." Kate explained as she turned on the oven and pulled out spices, olive oil and pans ready to put the meat on for a low roasting session to keep the meat tender and moist.

"Kate you can't ignore this, just because Malcolm is in a coma doesn't mean you can put everything on hold" Alicia said she didn't hide her disappointment or disapproval as someone had to keep Kate grounded and that she wouldn't just nod and say 'yes' when she didn't agree with what Kate was doing.

"I can't hit pause on a pregnancy but I also can't think about it right now without getting irrationally upset so it's easier for me to not make it the forefront of all my thoughts for the time being" Kate said

"Ok" Alicia said she made a mental note to ask Elisabeth the time and date for Kate's appointment so she would be there as she knew Kate wouldn't ask Alicia to be there as she wanted to pretend she wasn't pregnant. It was like there was no joy in it for Kate which was a shame. She hoped Kate would change her mind as it wasn't fair to deny herself.

"So does Taylor know about this dinner tonight?" Kate asked as she continued pottering around the kitchen.

"No" Alicia said unconcerned that she was surprising Taylor a man notorious for hating surprises. Kate looked to Alicia with a questioning look.

"Are you going to tell him?" Kate asked before she turned away to wash her hands.

"He'll come home for dinner and just suffer. I don't understand why he is avoiding this. Every time I say we are going to dinner at yours he claims he has to work late. Well not tonight he said he'd be home" Alicia said proudly as she moved from her seat to help Kate get the roast ready.

"Ok, well I guess it should make the start of the dinner interesting" Kate said as she unwrapped the meat and placed it into the pan, Alicia poured the oil and followed by the spices and herbs which Kate rubbed the ingredients into the meat. When she was done she washed her hands and then dried them before opening the oven and putting the piece of meat into it and closing the door and putting on a timer.

"Tea?" Kate offered.

"Sounds good to me" Alicia said.

"then sit down on the lounge and put your feet up. I'll bring it over" Kate told her.


	32. Chapter 32

A few hours later at Kate's house,

"Olivia Giselle Washington get your naked backside back in here now" Evan said as Olivia ran out of the bathroom while he turned his back for one second. He really should have learned with Sean but then he had Lena to tag team with then. He heard Olivia giggle as she was running around the living area without a care in the world. He half wished he had a camera for this moment and half wished Olivia could have skipped the Naked stage entirely. He ran out of the room just in time to see Kate grab Olivia and pick her up off the floor before closing the front door.

"Hello there, now where you running off to fuzz guts?" Kate asked Olivia as the little girl giggled and squirmed in Kate's arms trying to get away. Evan decided he's ignore Kate calling his daughter 'fuzz guts' as the woman caught Olivia before she did a nudie run down the main road.

"The naked phase has started" Kate said in an ominous tone as she held Olivia out as the little girl continued to squirm and giggle like they were playing a game.

"Yeah, any advice?" Evan asked.

"My brother used duct tape so my nephew couldn't pull his shirt and pants off. I advise that as a last ditch effort otherwise anything with buttons that closes at the back. Didn't Sean go through this stage?" Kate asked.

"Yeah we just bought him a huge onsie and put it on backwards so he couldn't get out of it. You mind holding her while I clother her. She's more livelier than a worm" Evan said

"Sure" Kate said Evan looked relieved at the offer and directed her to the couch. "Where's Sean?" Kate asked out of curiosity as they sat down.

"He's playing in his room luckily he's not as difficult as Olive here. Hey where's your monkey?" Evan asked as he managed to get the nappy and legging on. He disappeared into a room and came back with the dress to cover Olivia's top half.

"At Alicia's, asleep on plant in the living room. I just came home for a quick shower and to get changed." Kate told him.

"You just leave him places?" Evan asked.

"Yeah, I'm not he's keeper. If he disappeared for longer than 48 hours he has a tracker so I can find him if I have to but at the end of the day he's an animal he shouldn't be reliant on me forever" Kate said.

"Makes sense" Evan said as he and Kate pulled the soft royal blue cotton dress onto Olivia. Kate did the buttons on the back up. "Done! Let's see how you get yourself out this dress" Evan said to Olivia who pouted and lifted the dress skirt up in protest as she babbled her disapproval.

"You could just let her run wild and naked let her get it out of her system" Kate said.

"Oh no Olivia has to learn naked time is in the bathroom or in the privacy of her bedroom not the living room or the great outdoors. Don't ya kiddo otherwise you'll get sunburnt on your backside and it won't be fun now will it?" Evan told Olivia. Kate laughed as she got up from the lounge.

"I'll be ready in ten but if you want to go on ahead to Alicia's then you can" Kate said.

"No we'll wait" Evan said.

"Taylor isn't expected to be home for another 20 minutes" Kate told him.

"We'll still wait for you" Evan said, Kate smiled in amusement not saying anything more as she moved to her bedroom to grab some clothes.

* * *

15 minutes later, Kate and Evan were in the kitchen while Sean and Olivia monopolised Alicia's attention as they played a game of go fish. Of course Olivia had no clue what the game was about so she kept calling out Alicia's cards as she identified the numbers, jacks and queens etc. Evan was grateful as it meant Olivia wasn't stripping her cotton dress off and running around the place naked.

He felt nervous at having to play the dutiful brother in law and play nice with Taylor. It was easier to pretend he cared about the man when Taylor wasn't in the room and the two carefully avoided one another for the past month. Now Alicia was putting them into the same room for a meal, how it was going to end up was anyone's guess.

"Just relax" Kate told Evan in a low voice as she helped him pull the roast out of the oven and cover it to allow the meat to rest.

"Don't I look it?" Evan asked trying to be a casual as Kate he had to admit she was one smooth operator as he knew she was wearing a calm and causal façade.

"No you look like you're the weakest link. All you have to do is pretend he's your best friend for two hours then excuse yourself as the kids need to go home and go to bed" Kate told him in a low voice.

"That was the plan" Evan murmured to her.

"Good, so just relax" Kate told him.

* * *

Taylor gave a sigh and rolled his shoulders back giving them a good stretch before he entered the house. Today had been a very trying day and he had a headache for his troubles. So he was definitely ready to relax the evening away with Alicia. His wish for a quiet evening with Alicia was dispelled as soon as he opened the door and was assaulted with the noise of small children and lively chatter.

"Hey! Welcome home" Alicia said as she moved from her seat to him. She greeted him with a quick kiss.

"We have guests" Taylor said as he looked at the two kids and Evan in his house. Kate, he thought of as family so he wasn't irked by her appearance.

"We have family" Alicia corrected him. She narrowed her eyes at him wondering why he was acting like she asked Boylan to dinner. "Come I think it's time you were properly introduced to your nephew and niece" Alicia told him as she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the table.

* * *

Malcolm's eyes felt gritty and dry as he slowly opened them, he gave a cough as he was parched for water. He looked around in the soft yellow glow of the infirmary and knew immediately he was in Terra Nova.

He racked his brain wondering how long he had passed out as he was hooked up to IV and vital monitors it seemed like an overkill for a person who just walked through the portal.

He inwardly groaned as this was not the first impression he had wanted to make with Commander Taylor or his subordinates. Who would respect a men who fainted upon arrival, actually he didn't remember anything past walking through the portal but still it would not bode well.

"Dr Wallace?" Malcolm was broken out of his reverie when a nurse called hi attention.

"Yes" he rasped, his voice felt so unused.

"It's good to see you awake, I'm going to go get Dr Shannon" She said, disappearing before Malcolm could ask for a glass of water. A second later, Elisabeth appeared to his surprise.

"Elisabeth?" he said as he looked at her, she had changed but she was still beautiful as ever. He was amazed after all these years she still affected him deeply and he rued the way they had parted in fact he had planned to get himself established then look her up and recruit her to Terra Nova but apparently someone else had beaten him to the punch.

"Yes Malcolm, it's good to see you still recognise me" Elisabeth joked as she came to his bedside. The nurse came back with ice chips and Malcolm helped himself to a few enjoying the feel of melted water.

"Yeah it's been years, you look really well" he said with a smile as he looked at her. Elisabeth gave him an odd look.

"Years?" she asked him as she moved to the monitor and checked his Monitor and IV before pulling out her penlight.

"Yeah I had no idea you'd be here. I didn't even see your name on colony manifest" Malcolm said with a frown as he didn't remember there being any other Elisabeth on the list except for a private who was part of the military contingent.

"Malcolm can you answer a few questions for me?" Elisabeth asked.

"Sure" Malcolm said blinking at the penlight as Elisabeth checked his pupil reactions. She asked him various questions about himself mostly about his studies and how they met, what were the last things he remember etc very easy questions though he couldn't remember the last few days before blacking out very well. His impressions of Hope Plaza were vague and the meetings he went to before heading through the portal all fuzzy. He knew he had been there and talked with many people before leaving but it wasn't as crisp as the rest of his memories were.

All the while asking him to move limbs and digits checking his motor responses before making him lay still for scans after about 20 minutes of talking.

"Why are we going to so much effort if I passed out?" Malcolm asked as Elisabeth pulled up a stool and sat down. He wondered why she wasn't running more scans and why she looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"You didn't pass out Malcolm, you were in a coma" Elisabeth said.

"A coma?" he said completely taken off guard as he hadn't expected her to say that. "For how long?" he asked.

"Nearly 6 weeks" Elisabeth told him, he ran a hand down his face and frowned as he facial hair was gone and he had light day's stubble. Not only had he missed 6 weeks on his job his beard was gone and his head of hair it was definitely not a good way to wake up.

"What happened to me?" he asked, Elisabeth proceeded to tell him how there had been a storm and the building he had been in had collapsed and how he had been injured.

* * *

"Olivia" Evan warned his daughter as the little girl was tugging on her clothes as she sat next to Kate. Olivia stopped fidgeting and picked up her spoon and dug up a small portion of roasted pumpkin mush and ate it. He noted Taylor watching the exchange and wondered if the old man was judging his children and his parenting style.

Luckily Sean was on his best behaviour if one thought conversing in French was not inappropriate at the dinner table. Alicia told Sean to speak in English or that's what Evan assumed as Sean started talking in English which made the awkwardness subside. Olivia on the other hand was like a yo-yo. One minute she would be behaving and the next she'd get fidgety which was the precursor to some kind of Olivia version of mayhem.

"Redheads are trouble, it's only going to get worse" Kate said with a smile as she pushed a bean on her plate. She had eaten half of what Alicia piled on her plate. Dinner so far had been incredibly awkward. Taylor was unusually quiet and a vein in his neck pulsed which could only mean he was really pissed off that Alicia surprised him but decided to be polite in saying nothing. Alicia made up for his lack of social manners as she, Evan and Kate tried to make the best of the dinner so the kids didn't think something was wrong or believe that Taylor didn't like them.

"Thanks for the warning I assume you were a terror as a kid?" Evan asked Kate.

"The worst but my brothers made me look tame in comparison" Kate told him as she took a sip of her tea.

"Taylor was a redhead when I first met him" Alicia said with a smile trying to draw Taylor into the conversation hoping he would share someof his antics with his brother.

"Really?" Kate asked in amusement. Taylor inclined his head.

"I was until Alicia made me go grey" Taylor said. Alicia rolled her eyes.

"I did not make you go grey. It was the 30 plus years in military service that made you grey" Alicia told him. Kate's comm. unit buzzed on the bench and Taylor looked at Kate as she cringed knowing he didn't like comm. units to be turned on during meal times.

"Sorry I'm on call" Kate said as she got up from her seat and picked up the comm. before stepping out the front door to take the call. Once the door was closed silence fell on the table again and Alicia looked between her brother with an apologetic look and her husband giving him the 'talk or I'll make your life miserable' look.

"So Evan, how's the work progressing on the terminus?" Taylor asked hoping to appease his wife even though he had a raging headache.

"Slowly, I've been talking with a couple of the fabricators to get parts made but it's going to take time as we don't have the materials required to make some of the parts in the Colony" Evan said.

"I'm sure a team could be assembled to find the resources" Alicia said.

"It can be arranged, I'll talk to the fabricators and see what they need" Taylor said, the front door opened and Kate popped her head in.

"Sorry to interrupt but I have to go" Kate told them.

"You need back up?" Taylor asked her hoping he might escape the dinner.

"No, it's the infirmary. Malcolm's awake. I need to go" she said they all understood completely and Alicia could see a weight was lifted from Kate's shoulders in just knowing Malcolm was awake.

"Of course, go ahead and tell Malcolm it's about time he woke up" Alicia told her. Kate smiled as she closed the door. Awkward silence fell at the table as Alicia once again hoped Taylor would become his charming self she knew he was but instead he looked down at his plate and continue to eat his second helping. She wondered what his problem was. Sure the kids were a little unruly. Well Olivia was unruly, Sean was perfectly behaved for a five year old. Speaking of Olivia Alicia thought as she noticed Olivia had disappeared from the table.

"Dad" Sean said tugging on the sleeve of his father's shirt.

"Yeah?" Evan asked.

"Olivia's stuck in her dress" Sean said trying not to laugh as the adults had completely missed the two year old sliding off her chair and disappearing to the lounge area where she currently was by the couch with her dress up around her head and her pudgy hands trying desperately to pull it off but because of the buttons and the material having no give it appeared she was stuck. She was making noises of annoyance as she tried to get the dress off as she moved around smacking into the furniture mainly the soft furniture.

Evan and Alicia laughed at first until Olivia smacked her head into the coffee table and started wailing and then Evan jumped up from his seat to his daughter picking her up off the floor where she was currently having her little crying jag with the dress still up around her head and arms.

"Awwh Olive you are such a goose" Evan cooed in a sympathetic voice as he righted the dress and lifted Olivia up into his arms she latched onto him crying as she buried her little face into his neck. Crying about what he assumed to be the injustices of buttons and their interference with her want to be naked. Alicia was still laughing as it had been funny to watch and even Taylor smiled.

"Laugh it up. You guys are having two girls in one go. You won't find it funny chasing two naked kids around the colony" he told them.

* * *

"So let me get this straight. I've forgotten nearly 6 years of my life, you're married to the sheriff with three kids and I'm engaged to a woman I don't remember" Malcolm stated as this was not what he had expected Elisabeth to tell him. She had told him to rest but he wanted to know why she was acting so awkwardly and pushed her until she told him.

"Yes" Elisabeth told him. Her being married was a definite surprise and disappointment to him as he had hoped maybe he had a chance with her. "Her name is Kate, she's a beautiful woman" she told him.

"What is her field of study?" Malcolm asked.

"She's a deputy, she works with my husband" Elisabeth said she didn't like the calculative tone in his voice like he was already sizing her up to a list of qualities.

"A deputy" he said in an unimpressed tone, he figured he would always marry someone who had similar interests to him, a scientist who was just as equally as brilliant as he was not a woman who carried a gun and upheld the law. Whil being an officer of the law was an honourable profession it didn't take a genius to do it or at least that was his opinion. It wasn't his ideal woman but then his ideal woman was married and deeply, happily entrenched in her life with the kids she always wanted that he refused to give her which led to them breaking up.

"Before that she was in construction, she has a degree with honours in Mechanical Engineering and a diploma in Languages" Elisabeth said as she felt she needed to prove Kate was intelligent as she could tell Malcolm wasn't impressed with what he had heard so far. That and she felt she'd save some things for him and Kate to talk about and she could see Malcolm was balking at the idea of being engaged to someone who wasn't a scientist. He'd probably have a fit when he found out she used to be a soldier as Malcolm was a pacifist who disliked the military intensely in his youth.

Something that must have mellowed out of him in the past 5 years living and working closely with Taylor or that's what Elisabeth assumed as he never made any bones about the military like he used to. But that was all gone the man lying in the bed was the same man Elisabeth knew from over 18 years ago and if anything he was more pretentious if his current deportment was anything to go by.

"What exactly do I have in common with her?" Malcolm asked as he watched Elisabeth pull out her comm. unit and start typing a message.

"Malcolm, you and Kate are very private couple. You don't do the hideously cutsey things like gush about eachother's habits and what you both like. You like what you have and feel no need to prove it to anyone, it's well known you are both well suited and are very happy together and very much in love. Do you think you'd ask her to marry you if you didn't feel strongly about her?" Elisabeth asked as she sent a message to her husband as she had overheard one of the nurses calling Kate and knew the last thing Kate needed was for Malcolm to treat her like a second rate human being because she didn't meet his precious standards.

* * *

Kate walked as casually as she could to the infirmary as she smiled. Malcolm was awake and it looked like finally her evening was going to turn good. She was also glad for the escape from 'family' dinner as it had been incredibly awkward apparently Taylor didn't get the memo to act like he cared for Evan and the kids even just a smidgen for Alicia's sake. She knew they had a 'no lies' policy but there had to be some grey areas. Taylor really needed to find his before he was sleeping in the guest bedroom.

She barely made it to the Infirmary entry when Jim jumped into her way blocking her path. He was slightly out of breath as though he had run all the way from his house. He took a moment to catch his breath before looking at Kate who was giving him an odd look.

"Where's the fire?" Kate asked him with a smile.

"You're the fire" He said.

"Me? what have I done?" Kate asked defensively.

"You can't go in there" he told her.

"Why not? A nurse called me and said Malcolm is awake" Kate said her early relief was replaced with worry as to why Jim would run to stop her from going in. It had to be bad.

"Yeah she didn't get the ok from Elisabeth before she called you" Jim said.

"Is something wrong?" Kate asked him.

"Not that I know of, so let's go have tea at my house and wait for Elisabeth there" Jim said as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No, just tell me what it is" Kate said folding her arms. Jim pulled his Comm. unit from his pocket and opened the message his wife had sent him.

"I only know this" Jim said as he showed her the message on his comm.

"Malcolm unfit to be seen will explain in an hour, divert Kate to home for tea now xo" Kate read out loud. Jim pocketed the comm. device.

"See, so come on Maddy made lime meringue pie. You can have a slice while I finish my dinner" Jim said, Kate looked at the infirmary wanting desperately to see Malcolm but knew it would be easier to just go with the flow and it wouldn't look good having the sheriff go head to head with his deputy.

"Fine, let's go" Kate said.

* * *

An hour and half later, Alicia and Taylor said goodbye to Evan and the kids as Olivia was becoming increasingly fussy as it was nearing her bedtime and there was a routine to be maintained which needed the environment of Kate's home to settle down. Alicia was sure her brother just wanted to escape. She didn't blame him as her husband was less than stellar company. She knew he wasn't a fan of surprises but she thought he would at least put some effort in being sociable and then chew her out for springing it on him.

"You were awfully quiet this evening" Alicia remarked as Taylor packed away the last of the dishes into the dishwasher.

"I'm exhausted and have a headache can we pick this up later" Taylor said, he had to say his performance tonight had not been stellar but he had little energy to put on a show.

"No because Kate was exhausted and she managed to be sociable. I get you don't like surprises but my brother and his kids have been in Terra Nova for 5 weeks and every time I try to organise a family dinner you're never there which now I know was on purpose" Alicia said.

"Alicia" Taylor said in a trying tone.

"No, don't 'Alicia' me I want to know why you don't want to know my family" Alicia demanded she was tired of not knowing why Taylor avoided her brother and his kids. Evan looked reluctant but she thought perhaps it was due to the fact that his kids weren't perfect and there was a stigma that Commander Taylor like perfection. Sure he liked it from his soldiers but not children or civilians.

"I know your family already" he told her.

"No you don't, and you were disapproving the whole evening. That's right I didn't miss that look you shot Evan when Sean spoke French at the dinner table or how you were annoyed Olivia was getting fussy" Alicia told him, she couldn't help but vent her angery

"The kid has a set of lungs and did I mention I have a headache?" he asked as he had no patience for this conversation.

"Then you should have excused yourself to the bathroom and taken a couple of analgesics and come back being the charming man I know you can be instead this moody grouch" Alicia said she had felt the dinner was an important introduction and step to what she wanted to be a weekly thing like how her family used to have dinner every Sunday. She wouldn't blame Evan if he didn't want to have dinner at her place again.

"You shouldn't get so upset about this it's just a dinner I'll do better at the next one"

"Like you'll even come to the next one" she said baiting him.

"It's been a busy month, I've been overseeing the science department along with all my other duties as I don't trust any of the scientists to stand in for Malcolm. I'm a lieutenant down and Baz is itching to go OTG for more supplies. I'm tired and I have a headache the size of Asia can we have this discussion another time" he told her.

"No I can't because I'm angry with you and you are trying to placate me than tell me the real reason why you've been actively avoiding my brother" Alicia said.

"It doesn't matter" he said as he rubbed his temples.

"It does! I've been getting this sinking feeling that you and Evan are keeping something from me. So tell me what it is" Alicia demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about" he said being obtuse.

"Yes you do! We said we'd never lie to one another and right now you are lying to me" she said tears prickling her eyes as she didn't know what hurt more that he was lying to her now or that he didn't have the guts to just say he didn't like her brother and be done with it.

"It's not important"

"Bullshit it's not important. I want my family to get along is that so hard?" she asked him.

"Yes, it is that hard. If you weren't so blind to who your brother was and knew the truth then you would understand and not be so forgiving. He hasn't changed and him breaking his word is proof of that. He's still a screw up and it's only a matter of time until he messes up" Taylor said he hadn't meant for the words to slip out but they did. Alicia reared back at his words.

"Excuse me? What truth?"

"Forget it"

"What are you referring to? tell me Nathaniel" Alicia said in a firm tone.

"No I won't tell you not now"

"Why not?"

"Because you're supposed to be relaxing, not getting worked up about the past. You're pregnant for christ's sake can you just follow your doctor's orders instead digging up old bones!" He said as he closed the dishwasher door and turning it on.

"What did you do?" she asked him.

"What did I do? Perhaps you should ask your brother what he did! instead of putting it all on me. I'm the one who protected you and covered for your brother. While he walked away to save his own skin from the being shot a traitor to his country. You happy?!" he asked her. Angry and frustration that had been pent up for years about Evan and Alicia because she had no control over her family came out as he lost his control.

"What?" Alicia asked in disbelief.

"Your Brother was a secessionist who stole your military ID and got caught trying to access the military core obviously to download classified information to disseminate on the public core. Something you know as well as I do that is considered treason" Taylor continued.

"No, he wouldn't have done that" Alicia said shaking her head in disbelief.

"He did and luckily he was caught before he did any serious damage but still he would have been branded a traitor if I didn't step in and clean up his mess because lord knows if I hadn't you would have tossed out of the military because you allowed him to take your ID and it would be assumed you told him where to go to access the core. What's worse is if the DA found out about it you could have been named as an accomplice and been charged which is also punishable with the death penalty. I protected you from him and he gave up his friends and promised to get out of your life and never come back like I said he can't keep a promise that's for sure. Now I have to pretend to be happy around him until he screws up again" Taylor told her bitterly.

"You told my brother to walk away"

"You have had a stellar military career-" his sentence was cut off as Alicia slapped him.

"You think I care about my career? Let's not be disillusioned I was never going to be promoted past lieutenant, I've already been passed over three times. I'll never be a Major or a Lieutenant Commander thanks to Ellyas and the black mark he left on my record no matter how hard I work" Alicia said as she breath shortened as her emotions of shock, betrayal and anger rolled through her. She moved to the table and sat down as the tears rolled down her face.

"I would promote you" Taylor told her.

"Oh yeah like everyone will believe that promotion was given because I deserve it. One day you'll have to promote someone over me otherwise you're showing preference to your wife" Alicia scoffed as she felt her anger evaporate but she still couldn't

"You said you didn't want to be promoted" Taylor said confused as they had talked about her future in Terra Nova career wise. She wasn't ready to give up her career but she said she didn't want to be promoted unless she earned it and handing a promotion along with a wedding ring smacked of favouritism and she didn't want that to be.

"I don't now, my priorities have changed but in the past I did. I've spent 18 years in service, I got a fruit salad of medals and have watched men of lesser skills with no honour be promoted above me. You don't think that left me sore?" she asked him.

"You never said anything" he said. It was the first time he had heard her sound disappointed with her career.

"Why should I? You don't control the Promotion boards. You're the one who reccommended me they were the ones who shot me down" she said shaking her head tears streaming down her face as she couldn't be bothered controling the outflow of emotions. "Anyway I've volunteered enough of myself to the Military. I want more out of my life but 10 years ago I lost my brother and when he left a rift was created in my family and never understood why. I've been trying for those 10 years to mend the bridges with him. You knew I was trying to find him, trying to get in touch with him and you lied to me , you said nothi- Oh" Alicia stopped as she felt a tightening along with a sharp pain in her abdomen. She placed her hands on her stomach and groaned as the pain continued.

"Alicia? What is it? What's wrong? Talk to me" Taylor demanded as he knelt down in front of her.

"I don't know, sweet mother-" Alicia didn't finish as a mewling whimper escaped her lips as the pain spiked again, harder. She closed her eyes tight and heard Taylor calling the infirmary telling them they were on their way.

* * *

_TBC~ Yes I'm Evil but I will update this week with more to get back on track.. so not too evil :-P_


	33. Chapter 33

_A/N: Fun fact I introduced my Nanna to Terra Nova.. My Nanna didn't get the appeal of dinosaurs but she did however get the appeal of Jason O'Mara without a shirt on! Lol she's a gem! P.S. Not a Doctor and I know nothing about babies except which way to hold them and that they are ridiculously cute as long as I can hand them back at the end of the day… Enjoy the Installment! And a huge thank you for the reviews and favourites!_

* * *

"Ok I want the Surgical Bay prepped just in case we need to perform a C-section. Someone Call Dr Hastings and Chen in and Nurse Ogawa could you please make sure the Private room is ready" Elisabeth ordered as she rushed outside at the sound of a Rover pulling up out front. She stepped back as Taylor carried his wife out the rover.

"Tell me what's going on" Elisabeth said to them.

"It's too soon" Alicia bit out as she held onto Taylor her hands twisted tightly in his shirt as she was in pain.

"Her water broke in the back of the rover on the way here. Contractions are irregular but fast" Taylor told Elisabeth as she directed them inside the infirmary.

"Says you. It's your fault you asshole" Alicia bit out before she let out a loud groan of pain.

"Ok let's get you into the private room" Elisabeth said as she directed Commander Taylor towards the private room reserved for birthing, it had all the equipment ready for a natural birth. It also doubled as the room for after the baby was born so the parents could stay in the room with their newborn without people milling around with their own medical problems.

"It's too soon" Alicia said as Taylor laid her on the bed, Elisabeth and two nurses got to work turning on the bio scanner hooked up above the double bed and hooking up an IV and Vitals monitor onto Alicia. "Tell me its Braxton Hicks" She groaned as the pain was unbearable.

"The puddle in the rover and what's on my pants says it's not" Taylor told Alicia.

"I'm not talking to you. Do you have a medical degree?!" Alicia snapped at him hotly, those in the room had seen all matter of behaviour from a pregnant woman in labour but this was different, it was like Alicia was trying to draw blood with her words.

"Commander if you could step outside and change into scrubs it would be appreciated. When you come back I'll be able to give you both a better picture of what's going on" Elisabeth said, Taylor nodded and followed Nurse Ogawa.

Alicia looked to Elisabeth who was looking at the monitors. "Alicia, we are going to have to do a emergency c-section" Elisabeth said before she motioned to her staff to get to their duties.

"No, I want to try for natural birth" Alicia said as she took measured breathes.

"I know but we talked about this. How you may not be able to do a natural birth due to your previous injuries now the twins vitals are bombing and I'm seeing signs of a uterine rupture, we have to get you into surgery now" Elisabeth told her.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Shannon Residence,

"Were you just sleeping with your eyes open?" Jim asked as Kate turned her attention back to the table. She had drifted off mid thought until she blinked and realised she was holding her fork with a bite of lime meringue pie waiting to be eaten. She looked at the others at the table who were looking at her oddly amused but also concerned. Maddy, Reynolds, Jim and Kate were eating dessert talking about nothing in particular when Jim noticed Kate staring off into space he tried to get attention she didn't respond at first.

"No" Kate said in a way that sounded like a 'maybe'. "How long did Elisabeth say she was going to be?" Kate asked she would have assumed Malcolm would be asleep by now, she knew that she wanted to be asleep as her body ached to lie down.

"She said an hour but seeing as it's been over that why don't you go and have a kip on the couch. I'll wake you up when she gets home" Jim suggested.

"I think I might" Kate said with a sigh as she placed the fork down too tired to finish her half eaten dessert. "Don't throw that piece of pie out" Kate told Jim as she sluggishly rose from the table and moved to the lounge lying down. She closed her eyes and within seconds she was asleep.

* * *

"I don't know what Doc gave me but damn I almost don't feel as angry as I should be right now" Alicia told him in a slightly slurred voice. She was definitely angry but not to the same level as the drugs had mellowed her out. Taylor had come back into the room to find Elisabeth and the nurses moving Alicia onto a gurney. The twins were in distress and Elisabeth was concerned if they didn't perform a C-section then they would lose the twins.

Alicia was not happy as she was resigned to having the caesarean. So they rolled Alicia to the surgical bay and gave her some pain killers that were making her incredibly loopy. Elisabeth assured him it was a common side effect and just to keep Alicia talking so she stayed relaxed and happy. So far Alicia was relaxed but Taylor felt Happy was the last thing he could make Alicia right now.

"Alicia, I didn't do what I did out of malice" He said taking her hand and intertwining his fingers with hers. He looked over the curtain they had put up so Alicia couldn't see what Elisabeth and the second doctor were doing. There was a third doctor waiting for the twins with mobile incubators ready to go.

"Yeah I know the world is just one big puppet show for you and you're the master while the rest of us are just puppets and you just yank on our strings so we play to your tune. I just never thought I was one of your puppets" Alicia drawled as she looked up at the ceiling completely stoned on the drugs Elisabeth had given her.

"Alicia I love you please let's not talk about this while you're high on drugs" Taylor said he didn't need a whole room of medical staff knowing his marital problems.

"Puppets, that's a funny word like Muppet" Alicia chuckled as though she ws having her own private conversation with herself. "Muppet, Kate called Olivia a Muppet when she ran into a door yesterday" she said giggling. "Hey where are the babies?" Alicia asked him.

"Just relax, Doc Shannon is getting them as we speak" Taylor told them as he looked over the curtained area and couldn't see much as there were medical staff blocking his view but from the way they were speaking with calm voices everything was going well.

"Oh that's good. I think they are going to be beautiful" Alicia slurred in a dreamy state.

"Of they will, they got half your genes in them" Taylor said to her.

"Hmm that they do. Kate's going to have pretty babies"

"I'm sure she will, when she and Malcolm gets round to it" Taylor said Alicia snorted and rolled her eyes.

"They already did the fun part. Now she has to do the realy hard yards" Alicia said.

"Kate's pregnant?" Taylor asked as Alicia was implying so.

"Due in the summer!" she said but her smile fell into shock as she realised she said it out loud she was having difficulty focusing on what she was thinking and actually saying out loud "Oh no I wasn't supposed to tell you that. She's going to- Oh my god!" Alicia said in shock making Taylor look at her in concern she was feeling pain and also in shock that Kate was pregnant and didn't tell him.

"What? Are you ok? Are you in pain?" He asked as he was afraid for her.

"We don't have names for the babies... they are nameless babies" Alicia said. He tried not to roll his eyes and laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation as Alicia looked incredibly upset.

"Hey its ok we'll name them together later" he assured her.

"But the list is so long and we aren't ready. They have no names Nathaniel, they are non entities" Alicia said before giggling and repeating the word 'non entities' as if it were the third funniest word she had ever heard after 'Puppet' and 'Muppet'.

"Ok Baby one is out" Elisabeth announced. Taylor watched as the first of his children was passed around the room like a pass the parcel before she was placed on a table with the third Doctor. A few seconds of work and the baby gave tiny little wails of life.

"You hear that?" Taylor said looking to Alicia.

"Hey that's a baby" Alicia said her face lighting up with a smiled.

"It's our baby" he told her proudly.

"But we have two" Alicia frowned as her drug slugged brain did the math.

"Baby two" Elisabeth announced Taylor watched the same drill again for the second girl. The twins were cleaned up and quickly placed into incubators and the second doctor moved in the way cleaning the babies and doing his work. Taylor smiled at turned to Alicia.

"They are small but look healthy, you did good Soldier" he said, Alicia smiled but it soon disappeared as she slipped out of consciousness. "Alicia?" Taylor said but she didn't respond. "Alicia" he said trying to get her to wake.

"I need more suction here" Elisabeth said

"We're getting some hypertension" another person said,

"She's tachycardia" another announced, Taylor didn't understand what they were saying but the activity in the room rose into critical as one of the doctors cursed out loud and ordered for more equipment.

"There's a lot of bleeding, hang another bag O positive. Commander you need to leave now" Elisabeth ordered.

"What's going on?" Taylor asked as he got up from his chair.

"We'll talk later but for now let me do my job. Go" Elisabeth told him before went back to work on Alicia. An orderly came up to Taylor and pulled him by the arm gently saying it was better for him to wait outside. Taylor didn't fight him and against his own desire to stay he left.

* * *

A couple of hours later,

Jim noted the time on his plex and wondered what happened to Elisabeth but knew better than to call as she was probably with an emergency patient. He looked over at Kate who was lying on the lounge fast asleep, he quietly moved to the lounge not wanting to disturb her as he lifted a throw blanket from the second couch they had and carefully draped it over Kate so she wouldn't get cold. She shifted in her sleep and mumbled something unintelligible before falling back to sleep.

The woman slept like a rock even with Zoe and her carrying on loudly protesting her early bed time but then he could only imagine the noise levels at Kate's place with two energetic kids under the age of 7 had trained Kate to block such noise out.

He moved back to the dining table and picked up the plex and went back to reading reports and signing off on them. He was amazed at the hours that could be consumed by it and wished he hadn't taken the promotion out of sheer laziness.

He decided he'd go and check it out as he was now worried, he wrote a note for Kate if she woke up and knew Zoe and Maddy were home so no one was unattended or left in the dark. He quietly left the house and headed towards the infirmary when he got there he found Taylor sitting in the waiting room with his head in his hands.

"Taylor" Jim said carefully, Taylor looked up his expression was wrought with worry and heart ache. "What's going on?" Jim noted the lack of medical staff on the floor and wondered where they all were.

"Alicia went into labour, they had to do a C-Section and Alicia lost a lot of blood. I was told to get out of the OR and told to wait out here. I don't know what's going on" Taylor said as he dropped his head and ran his fingers through his hair. It was driving crazy not knowing if Alicia was alive or not.

"Hey it's going to be Ok. Liz is the best at her job" Jim assured him as he took a seat next to Taylor.

"I can't lose her Shannon, I can't live without her" Taylor told Jim.

"Have you seen the twins?" Jim asked changing topics and hoping that the Twins came out good in the events of the evening so that way Taylor wouldn't dwell entirely on Alicia. He didn't like Taylor speaking the way he was.

"Briefly before they were rolled out" Taylor said.

"Liz told me they keep the babies in the private room so they are close to their mother. Why don't we go check it out" Jim suggested as he got to his feet. Taylor nodded as he too got to his feet he couldn't sit waiting for news about Alicia and he should see the twins.

"Did you and Doc have any dramas like this?" Taylor asked as they walked to the private room.

"Besides Josh's birth, not really. Maddy and Zoe were smooth sailing. But Josh well Liz had an adverse effect to the drugs they gave her when she was in labour. Instant Migraine and projectile vomiting everywhere it was disgusting, amazing and hilarious as I held her hand through it all. My clothes and shoes forever ruined. But in saying that it was worth it and I didn't like that outfit anyway" Jim said, Taylor smiled at his humour even though his mind was solely on Alicia.

Jim knocked gently on the door and slid it open. Inside the room were a nurse and the twins in a large incubator beside the main bed. Above the incubator was a holographic display of the babies' vitals. The nurse looked up and gave a welcoming smile as she motioned for them to come in.

"Commander, you got two very strong girls here" the nurse said as Jim and Taylor walked up to the incubator. They looked down at the small babies. "Do you have names we can call our newest patients?"

"Not yet" Taylor said feeling like the worst parent in the world. He had induced their mother into premature labour and didn't even have a name for the twins.

"Baby Wash and Baby Taylor" Jim dubbed them as he pointed to the one with the larger one of the two as Baby Wash and the smaller one as Baby Taylor. Baby Taylor seemed to be the problem child as she had a respirator on her tiny face. Taylor kept his face neutral while the nurse pursed her lips trying not to smile.

"Well Baby Wash is 3 pounds and 5 oz, 16 inches. Baby Taylor is 3 pounds and 2 oz, 15 inches. Now don't be alarmed by the respirator. Baby Taylor just needed a little help in the lung department we will keep a close eye on them both but I reckon if there are no other complications you'll be able to take them home in a few weeks" The nurse informed him.

"How many weeks exactly?" Taylor asked her.

"6 weeks minimum if there are no further complications but I don't see that happening. They are the healthiest babies I've ever seen for 27 week premature. They just need some more time to mature before they can enter the outside world completely" The nurse assured him.

"Already high maintenance like her Daddy aren't you kiddo?" Jim said to baby Taylor. Taylor frowned as he was definitely not high maintenance but knew Jim was only making a joke.

"Doctor Hastings said you can't hold them until their nervous systems have matured but you can touch the babies if you want" the nurse offered.

"I'd like that" Taylor said, the nurse instructed him to wash his hands and then talked him through the dos and don'ts before she opened up the two doors to the incubator.

"...Just remember their nervous systems are incredibly delicate so don't stroke or tickle them" she reminded Taylor, Jim stood to the side having too much fun looking through the plastic shell watching Baby Wash's facial expressions and marvelling at how small the twins were.

Taylor reached both of his hands in and smiled as he gently laid his hands over the twins legs knowing it was the safest place for him to touch them and also comfortable for him. He cupped their tiny legs and felt them flex their legs. He marvelled at how beautiful they were and how blessed he felt for them just for being in his world. He barely knew them but he loved them with all his heart as he did Alicia.

"Are you sure they are yours?" Jim asked casually as he pulled out his comm. and took a picture of the babies sending the picture to Kate so she had a copy with the twin's temporary names as a nice surprise when she eventually woke up.

"Of course they are mine why do you ask?" Taylor asked Jim darkly.

"They look nothing like you" Jim said with a smile as Baby Wash was awake and staring up at him. Baby Taylor was looking at Adult Taylor who had become more confident and gently placed his hand on her back the warmth of his hand slowly lulling her to sleep.

"That's a good thing, if they looked at me they'd turn into a couple of really ugly women" Taylor remarked Jim chuckled at Taylor's comment. The door to the room opened and Elisabeth came in with Alicia on a gurney behind her. Taylor took his hands out the incubator and closed the doors so he could help with moving Alicia onto the double bed in the private room.

It was standard to allow the parents to sleep in the same room as their baby before being released. To allow the parents to bond with their child or in this case children.

"How is she? What happened?" Taylor asked Elisabeth who looked ready to fall over from exhaustion.

"Alicia had a uterine rupture and lost a lot of blood but we managed to stop the bleeding and repair the damage. She will be out action for at least a week from the blood loss and the surgery for the next few weeks so we'll keep her and the twins together. Don't worry she'll make a full recovery"

"Did I do this?" Taylor asked as he had let the argument and allowed it to escalate.

"No. If you remember it was one of the many complications that could have happened that I discussed with you. So it was no one's fault. Alicia should be awake in the morning and Dr Hastings will keeping a good eye on her and the twins." Elisabeth told him as she and another nurse finished making Alicia comfortable.

"Thank you" he said to her.

"You are welcome, when Alicia is conscious we'll talk about what happened in more detail along with treatment and recovery regime but for now you can relax. Now let me see your beautiful girls" Elisabeth said with a smile.

"Baby Taylor and Baby Wash" Jim supplied as his wife moved over to the incubator and looked down at the twins for a moment.

"Aren't they just little miracles" Elisabeth cooed as she looked down at them. A misty expression washed over her face as she looked down at the little babies as her heart melted.

"No" Jim said in a firm tone and Elisabeth and the others looked at him funny as they thought he wasn't agreeing with her about the twins being miracles. "We agreed three kids only" Jim told her, Taylor looked at the two with amusement but said nothing as he looked down at Alicia who looked so incredibly peaceful even though she was pale.

"Fine" Elisabeth said with a playful pout as it was a never ending game with them. Elisabeth loved children and Jim loved children too but he was happy with the three he already had and saw no need to add another to mix. That didn't stop Elisabeth with toying with the idea every now and then.

"You want us to stick around?" Jim asked Taylor.

"No, go home. I assume if there is an emergency you'll be called?" Taylor asked Elisabeth, he wanted to make sure Alicia had the best treatment.

"Yes" Elisabeth assured him.

"Then we'll be fine, go get some rest and Shannon will you take over command of the colony for me? I want to be with Alicia and the twins" Taylor said as he looked down at Alicia.

"Yeah, no problem. I'll drop by here in the morning and we can do the handover" Jim said.

"Bring Kate with you. I need to have a word with her as well" Taylor said.

"Is this about what Alicia said?" Elisabeth asked referring to Alicia accidently announcing Kate was pregnant to a whole room of medical staff.

"Yes" Taylor said.

"Feeling out of loop here" Jim announced.

"Alicia said Kate is pregnant while under the influence. If she is then we will need to be run through the paperwork. The sooner the better as I assume you've been covering for her" Taylor said to Jim as he wanted to make sure everything was taken care of while he stayed with Alicia and the twins.

"I only found out today" Jim said defensively as he held his hands out in surrender.

"Your staff going to keep their mouths shut about Kate's medical condition?" Taylor asked Elisabeth.

"I planned to tell them to do so before I leave. Last thing I think Malcolm wants to hear is that he has a child on the way" Elisabeth said.

"Why would he not want to know?" Jim asked.

"He's lost over 5 years of memory he's not exactly pleased with being engaged to a woman he doesn't remember nor is he exactly thrilled about how his life has panned out" Elisabeth said dryly.

"Just what Kate needs" Jim said sarcastically as he knew exactly why Elisabeth wanted him to stop Kate from seeing Malcolm. Malcolm was back to being in love with his wife and all the fantasies he had playing in his head about hooking up with Elisabeth again. If anything Jim will be able to watch Malcolm's face fall in disappointment again when they are reintroduced.

"Well at least he'll be able to take up his position as head of the science department again. Will I be able to talk with him in the morning?" Taylor asked as he wasn't ready to expend any more energy tonight dwelling on Kate and her problems or how he could help her when he was up to his neck with his own. He only wanted to focus on Alicia and the twins, when Kate needed him she knew where to find him until then he would let Elisabeth and Jim help her.

"Yes of course" Elisabeth said.

"Good, I need him up to date and back at work as soon as possible" Taylor said as he was working through everything he needed to get done so he could focus solely on Alicia and the twins and being with them.

"Well we shall give you some privacy and I'll see you in the morning" Elisabeth said with a smile as she and Jim bid Taylor a goodnight.

Taylor pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed between Alicia and the babies he wasn't sure which way he should be looking as he wanted to hold all three of them.

* * *

Kate woke up to the sweet aroma of pancakes and fresh fruit. She opened her eyes and saw Maddy in the Kitchen cooking and Zoe at the table kicking her little legs as she was drawing on her colour sheet.

"Morning" Jim said as he walked up and placed a cup of tea on the coffee table. Kate sat up and rubbed the fatigue from her eyes as she picked up the cup of tea and took a sip.

"Thanks" Kate murmured as she was still waking up.

"No problem, how you feeling?" he asked.

"Tired but I had a good sleep, what happened to waking me up?" Kate asked as she wished she had green tea in her cup instead of blueberry and peppermint. She missed and desperately needed the caffiene.

"Didn't have the heart to and we got in late" Jim said.

"We?" Kate asked confused as she was sure he had been in the house all night. Well she assumed he was home as she had slept like a rock.

"Yeah I ducked out to see what was taking Elisabeth so long and here is why" Jim said as he picked up her comm unit and showed her the picture. Kate placed the cup on the coffee table and grabbed the comm. device to get a better look.

"No way!" Kate said with a smile.

"Yep" Jim said.

"It's too early! Are they ok? Alicia and the twins?" Kate asked.

"Yes all three are healthy. Baby Taylor just needs some help with her lungs hence the head gear" Jim said.

"Baby Taylor?" Kate asked.

"The small one with the mask the other has been dubbed Baby Wash. I named them" Jim said proudly.

"Of course you did."

"At least I have some originality. You call your monkey 'Monkey'" Jim told her.

"It's easy to remember. What time was this?" Kate asked.

"8:36pm last night"

"Amazing" Kate said in wonder as she looked at the photo of the twins they looked so small with Taylor's hands in the incubator next to the babies.

"Oh and you were outed pregnant in the operating room too" he said in a low voice.

"What?" Kate asked.

"Wash was high on the drugs announced you are having a summer baby. Don't worry Elisabeth told everyone to keep their mouths shut as you want Malcolm to hear the news from you and not from the rumour mill" Jim assured Kate who had paled somewhat from the news that she had been outed. She wasn't upset at Alicia as she knew her friend had undergone a pretty intense life event. That and people were going to find out sooner or later Kate had just hoped she would have had a couple more months.

"Ok, am I going to find out why I can't see Malcolm yet?" Kate asked as she got up from the couch and swayed as her head swooned but Jim quickly steadied her by the elbow.

"Yes, after breakfast and then we are going to the infirmary today because Taylor wants to square things away before he goes on early paternal leave" Jim said as he picked up the cup of tea and walked Kate over to the table depositing Kate into the seat next to Zoe.

"Morning Miss Zoe and what are you drawing today?" Kate asked.

* * *

Alicia groaned as she woke up to a twinge of pain in her lower abdomen she felt down her stomach in her sleep fog thinking one of the twins kicked her too hard. It wouldn't be the first time it wasn't until she ran her hand down that she didn't feel the gargantuan baby bump she freaked out the fog left her mind as she looked around her heart pounding erratically as she was in the private room of the infirmary she looked around and as soon as her eyes landed on the incubator with the twins inside she relaxed back onto the bed with a sigh of relief.

The vitals for the twins were being displayed above the incubator reassuring her that they were both alive and healthy. She exhaled slowly and groaned again as her muscles complained at the movement.

The door to the room opened and Alicia looked over to see Taylor come into the room he looked exhausted beyond belief like he had been awake all night.

"Hey" he said in a soft voice as he held a cup of coffee in one hand and bottle of water under his arm. He placed the coffee and water on the table "how are you?" he asked.

"Sore, Thirsty" Alicia rasped.

"I'll go get the Doc and some ice chips" Taylor said he left the room and moment later Dr Hastings came into the room. He was a Military Doctor who was on the second pilgrimage through to Terra Nova. He was an old friend of Alicia's as they had gone through university in the same degree program did their residencies in different cities.

"Hey Wash, what's going on?" he asked as he moved into the room and checked over her IV and Vitals monitor.

"Apparently I had twins" Alicia said with a wry smile as she shifted and winced from the pain.

"Yeah I was there. We nearly lost you, you bled out on the table which why you're probably feeling out of sorts and very weak but don't worry once we get some more blood and fluids into you. You'll brighten up" he assured her.

"How bad was the rupture?"

"Nothing that couldn't be repaired. You'll be able to have more children in the future but I recommend waiting at least 9 months before you try for another kid" Hastings said looking at Taylor and Alicia.

"So I take it you'll want me up and walking this afternoon?" Alicia asked changing the topic.

"just a slow stroll around the infirmary to keep the blood circulating. You won't be able to do much for the next couple of weeks and mandatory 6 week rest and recovery period before you start running around wild or doing any activities i.e. exercising, lifting anything heavier than one of your babies" he told her.

"How are they?" She asked.

"Well Baby Taylor needed a little help with her lungs hence the respirator but Baby Wash is doing just great" Hastings assured her as he checked her pupil reactions and then her abdomen to make sure everything was healing well.

"Baby Wash and Baby Taylor?" Alicia asked.

"Until you two decide on names the Sherriff stepped up and dubbed them so. Now I'm going to give you the happy button. So don't abuse it you need a clear head for Nurse Ogawa and Dr Shannon when they come in to give you the rundown of everything about babies and taking care of them etc while you're in the infirmary" Hastings told her as he handed her the self medicate button that when she pressed it then a dose of pain killers would be administered through her IV.

"Ok but should I be taking drugs if I'm going to be breast feeding?" She asked him.

"Perfectly safe" he assure d her as he moved to the incubator and rolled it over so it was flush to Alicia's side of the bed and right near her head so she could see them both up and personal even with the casing separating them. "Now I'd like to introduce you to your babies" he said with a smile. Alicia smiled as she looked at her twins, tears filled her eyes as she was incredibly overwhelmed with happiness and love for them.

"When can I hold them?" she asked as she looked up at Hastings.

"Not today maybe in a few days as their nervous systems haven't matured yet but you can touch them if you want?" he said Alicia nodded and Hastings pressed a button that rose the back part of the bed up so her chest was elevated giving her a better view of the twins.


	34. Chapter 34

"Oh no! I forgot about Evan and the kids. Someone has to tell Evan about Alicia and the twins" Kate said as she had paused halfway through her second serving of pancakes. She was about to jump up from her seat when Jim motioned for her to stop.

"Relax, I'll go and tell Evan the good news. Stay and eat then meet me at the infirmary in an hour. Remember Taylor wants to see us" Jim told Kate as he got up from his chair, he gave his wife a quick kiss goodbye and left the house. Maddy and Zoe had left for school while Elisabeth and Jim had breakfast with Kate. Elisabeth had even remembered to bring home a serving of all the vitamins Kate was on so Kate wouldn't miss out.

"So why couldn't I see Malcolm last night? is something wrong?" Kate asked Elisabeth who was took a sip of her coffee apparently only Jim and Kate had enough room for two servings of pancakes. Or Jim was just supporting the 'put weight on Kate for the baby' campaign so Kate wouldn't feel like such a guts for wanting more than two pancakes.

"There is no easy way of saying this so here goes. Malcolm has lost over 5 years of his memory" Elisabeth said it like she ripping off a bandaid. She watched Kate carefully waiting for any response but Kate looked at her as if waiting for more and prompted her.

"And?" Kate asked prompting Elisabeth as she felt there was more and wanting it all out on the table in one go instead of stages. The pancakes that had sated her hunger were now rolling in her stomach making Kate feel like it was a bad idea to have seconds.

"There is no 'and' Kate. The reason why I told you this was that I need you to understand he believes he just stepped through the portal. All his memories from that day until now have been completely wiped" Elisabeth said.

"Will he recover his memories?" Kate asked putting her fork down and taking a sip of her orange juice hoping to swallow the lump in her throat.

"The brain is still a mystery but in majority of amnesia cases that are due to brain trauma the person in question never recovers their memory"

"So I couldn't just hit him upside the head with a crowbar and hope for he remembers" Kate said making a joke as she didn't really know what to say. Elisabeth gave a closed smile.

"No, I wouldn't recommend it. I know it's bad but on the good side it appears to be the only thing he has lost. His…" Elisabeth continued to inform Kate about how Malcolm had no problems with his motor skills or cognitive abilities were not impaired all he was missing was his memories. Which translated to everything Malcolm knew about her was wiped clean even his emotions.

"So he's a functioning human being and he can continue on as he always has but he just doesn't remember me or anything about our plans, our life" Kate said.

"I told him about you but he showed no recognition of your name" she said, Kate felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach as she dropped her head in her hands and took slow and measured breaths. The realisation of what it meant not being remembered and how it would affect her life and their future child's life. She remembered Malcolm talking about his past how he never wanted children until a couple of years in Terra Nova watching the children play and grow in a healthy environment. How would he feel now knowing he was engaged to a pregnant woman in his mind he didn't even know? What would he think of her?

"What can I do?" Kate asked not liking where her thoughts were going. She needed to focus on the good side which was that he was awake and not a vegetable which meant she just had to get him to fall in love with her again.

"I have told him a little bit about you, that you two are engaged and that you work with my husband but that's it. I thought I'd let you two get reacquainted with one another personally. I just wanted you to know what you were walking into instead of being surprised" Elisabeth said.

"Ok, I'll make a bag of his stuff to bring with me today so he can be comfortable. How long will he be in the infirmary for?" Kate asked.

"I'd like to keep him for a couple of weeks under observation so we can gage exactly what he is missing memory wise and rehab that way it isn't on you to help him get around and also for you two to get to know one another." Elisabeth said.

"Ok" Kate said in slight relief as she wasn't sure she could handle living with a man she loved deeply and have him looking at her like she were a complete stranger in her current situation. She felt conflicted between being sick and crying as she was a stranger to him as much as he will be one to her.

"Kate, you have to be prepared he's not the same person he used to be. It's not going to be easy but Jim and I are here for you. If it gets too much and you just want to come over and sleep on couch or hide whatever our door is always open" Elisabeth said. Kate nodded as tears welled in her eyes.

* * *

Baby Wash held onto Alicia's index finger with a tight grip and looking at Alicia with wide eyes through the glass that made Alicia smile the brightest smile and chuckle.

"Hi, I'm your mommy" Alicia said in a soft voice. She couldn't understand why she was so happy and yet crying at the same time. Hastings wouldn't let her hold the babies as they weren't stable yet but he said she could touch them and she was glad she could do that much even though she was desperate to hold them.

Taylor who sat on the edge of bed watching her and the twins remained silent, he hadn't left the room and while his presence angered her because of what happened and the argument how he had altered her life so dramatically to where they ended up where they were now. She couldn't deny him time with his children and thus decided for now she was going to enjoy her newborns and her and Taylor's problems would wait on the sidelines. She wasn't going to let their issues mar this moment of her looking at her girls and bonding for the first time. "You two are so perfect" she said as she was sure her face was going to hurt from smiling.

"So is their mother" Taylor said in a low voice speaking for the first time since saying he'd get a doctor.

"We have problems Nathaniel but right now I just want to focus on these two and remember this time as being beautiful and perfect than think about what you did ok?" Alicia told him.

"Just tell me we are going to be alright" Taylor said in a pleading voice. Tears slid down her face as he sounded so broken and desperate for her reassurance. She set her lips in a firm line before answering.

"I hope so" she said not looking at him. She didn't want to fight in front of her twins she didn't want any negative energy around them. She wanted them to feel that they were loved. So she decided on a safer topic of conversation. "You know we should decide on their names" Alicia said focussing on the twins as she wiggling her index finger slowly enjoying the tug of her daughter's hand.

"We have a list, we just have to cull it down or we can have Shannon and Kate do it for us. I asked them to come in so we can ask them to be the God parents I figured today would be a good day as any" Taylor said.

They had spent the last few weeks deciding on who would be the God Parents and Guardians of the twins if anything happened to them. It had been the hardest decision they had ever come to as a couple to date. They knew too many people in the Colony who they felt they could trust their children to in their demise but it was about who would be the best at the job.

Alicia had stated Kate and Guzman straight away. Taylor wanted the Shannons as God Parents. They had three reasonable well behaved children if one overlooked the eldest's proclivity for getting into trouble and toeing the line of the law. The Shannons' had experience in spades and Elisabeth was a doctor, they were able to relate to their children yet still maintain their parental power.

Alicia wanted Kate because she watched Kate with her nephew and niece. She knew Kate would raise her kids the way she would as they were similar in disposition and thoughts on the upbringing of children. She also felt Guzman would be a good fit as he would temper Kate's enthusiastic mothering and be able to work with her as a team with them both being a power team as they were both military trained. She also known him for over a decade and trusted him with her life and that of her children. He was a strong male role model.

They eventually compromised with Kate and Jim as Alicia assured him that she planned on living until she was 133 yrs of age and the twins would need a cool god parent they could go to when they needed someone to talk to but were too embarrassed or scared to come to them then they'd have Kate to go for advice.

Jim was chosen as Godfather as Taylor knew it didn't matter in the long run as Jim and Elisabeth were pretty much one unit but there was also the fact that Jim had an uncanny knack of getting people to open up to him. That and he saved Taylor's life, while Taylor would agree Guzman would make a good choice for god parent he also didn't want his children brought up with the same rigidity that he had used with Lucas. Guzman was too much like himself without the extra years of military service. He wanted his children brought up differently as he didn't want another Lucas. Not that he voiced such concerns with Alicia.

"You want Shannon to name our kids after the stellar job he did the first time round?" Alicia asked with a chuckle so he knew she was joking and not angry.

"We have a list how wrong can he get it and we'll have final say?" Taylor asked her. He was glad she wasn't locking him out completely but he knew better than to push his luck. When she was ready she would reopen the arguement and they would finish what they started he was definitely not off the hook.

* * *

Kate heard the sounds of Olivia giggling and squealing loudly followed by the movement of heavy footfalls around inside her house as she opened the door. Her eyes went wide at the disaster zone that was normally the living area as there were clothing and pillows strewn everywhere and a couple of chairs overturned. It was a mess.

She then caught sight of a half naked two year old streaking across the living room and into her bedroom where she heard Jim say 'Got you!'. Evan came out of one of the other bedrooms and smiled apologetically at her.

"Two men terrorized by a half naked two year old" Kate said as she closed the front door behind her. Jim appeared holding Olivia under his arm like a sack of potatoes. She was wrapped up in one of Kate's navy blue caftan shirts. The little girl wriggled and squirmed.

"She isn't naked anymore" Jim said as he and Evan high fived this fact.

"Uhuh" Kate said with a laugh at Jim and Evan as the two made it seem like they had conquered Mt Everest.

"Kate! Kate!" Olivia said holding her arms out for her. Her little hands were covered by the shirt sleeves.

"Oh no don't give her up. She'll just pull you into this vicious game" Evan said.

"Or maybe she just wants to wear grown up clothing" Kate said as she took Olivia out from under Jim's arm. "I do have a funky wardrobe" Kate said as she put Olivia on her hip as the little girl hung onto her neck.

"By 'funky' you mean you dress like a man?" Jim asked in good humour.

"I'm going to go get changed and brush my teeth. Olivia is coming with me while you two clean up this mess" Kate told them before she poked out her tongue at Jim. She went to her room and closed the door before placing Olivia on the ground within mere seconds the girl was completely naked and doing victory laps around the room and climbing the bed.

Kate laughed and turned to her closet and pulled out a small duffel bag and packed it with some clothing for Malcolm along with his personal plex. She then changed into a pair of olive green cargo pants with a white tank top and grey high low cardigan sweater. She opted not strapping on her gun as she wasn't sure what her plan for the day was and figured Evan might not appreciate her doing so in front of Olivia. She brushed her hair back into low ponytail by the time she was finished Olivia had gotten bored with being naked and pulled the kaftan top back on and was now having fun with the fact the sleeves were too long.

"You like that top huh?" Kate asked her as she knelt down and rolled the sleeves up for Olivia and got the little girl dressed back into nappy and tights before she picked up the little girl and opened the door to find the living area had been put back into order with Evan and Jim talking in the kitchen talking.

"How do you do it?" Evan asked.

"I let her get bored of being naked instead of chasing her around and making it appear to be a game" Kate said simply as Olivia made noises that translated to 'put me down'. Kate placed the little girl on her feet and Olivia ran and half stumbled because she tripped on the hem of Kate's shirt to coffee table and sat down picking up pens and colour sheet onto her next fancy.

"Olivia isn't allowed at Day care until she gets over her naked phase" Evan said as he watched Olivia, he felt lucky that Olivia wasn't one of the kind of girl who fell over and cried everytime.

"Seriously? I didn't know kids could be kicked out of Daycare" Kate said with chuckle. Evan laughed too as he found it utterly ridiculous.

"Yeah one of the Terra mommies had a go at me for it. Said if I couldn't let allow my daughter to run around naked as it showed a lack of discipline. This of course coming from the mother of a kid that eats dirt" Evan said rolling his eyes. Jim and Kate laughed. "But apparently when there is a consensus of mothers about something it happens and they don't like Olivia" Evan said.

"Well she has plenty of people who love her to balance it out until the phase passes. Then you have to cope with the underwear on the head stage" Jim said.

"Luckily Sean skipped that stage so I'm hoping Olivia does too" Evan said.

"I'll teach her to only put clean underwear on her head" Kate said with an evil grin.

"Please don't" Evan said with a groan.

"Speaking of disruptions did Jim tell you about Alicia?" Kate asked Evan.

"Yeah I saw the photo and I was hoping you'd baby sit this afternoon for an hour or so while I go see Alicia. Olivia and Sean are little Petri dishes of germs and premie babies need a clean environment for the first few weeks at least" Evan said.

"Not a drama for me and if they are I'll just call for reinforcements" Kate said looking to Jim.

"And I'll send Maddy, Josh is hopeless with kids. Speaking of we should get going" Jim told Kate.

"Yes, after I brush my teeth" Kate said as she raced to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth quickly and double checked her appearance as she felt nervous about seeing Malcolm. Once she gave up on her looks knowing no matter how much she tried she was sure she would pale in comparison to the beautiful Dr Elisabeth Shannon as Malcolm was back to having unresolved feelings for the doctor.

She left the bathroom and picked up the duffel bag for Malcolm before looking to Jim.

"Good to go?" Jim asked.

"Yep, let's do this" Kate said, they said good bye to Evan and Olivia and left the house. They barely made it down the first two steps when Jim started talking.

"You and Olivia are pretty cute together, it's kind of like a glimpse into what the future looks like if you had a girl" Jim said as he and Kate walked in the direction of the Infirmary.

"You think?" Kate asked as Jim took the duffel bag from her. She wasn't going to get all huffy about him carrying the bag when she was perfectly capable of doing it herself as she was lazy and tired.

"You're going to have girl" Jim said firmly. She was glad the area was clear of people as most of the soldiers were either on shift or in their houses having breakfast or whatever they did in their time between duty shifts. Either way their was no one to overhear them.

"You decided just like that" Kate said with a hint of humour.

"Yes, Taylor ordered Wash to have a girl and she had two. So I order you to have a girl but you don't have to have three or two. It's not a competition" Jim assured her.

"Thank goodness for that as I don't think I could handle having triplets or twins especially as I might be doing it on my own" Kate said with a sigh.

"Malcolm will come round if he isn't exactly warm to the idea. Don't be put off if he's an utter asshole today, remember he's woken up and found out he lost 5 years of his memory it's not all rainbows and unicorns for him" Jim advised her though he truly didn't understand why he was defending Malcolm when he was now going to have to keep an eye on the man so he didn't try and make any moves on his wife.

"Yeah. I just don't want to get my hopes up as Malcolm told me he didn't want kids until a couple of years ago which is in the 5 year memory gap." Kate said as she didn't want to hope for something that may never happen.

"He might change his mind when he knows it's a reality" Jim said.

"Or he will think I'm trying to trap him into marriage and that I'm some lowlife like Haynes who likes to surround herself with 'powerful' people." Kate said in a low voice as they had reached the main square and she didn't need anyone passing by to hear her and start rumours.

"You're not trapping him" Jim assured her.

"That's right because I don't have a ring and I'll make it clear that he has a choice to be in the child's life even if he doesn't want me" Kate said her eyes burning with tears as she truly didn't want to lose him or go through her pregnancy alone knowing that Malcolm she knew would have been happy with news when the new one didn't.

"Why not keep the baby news to yourself for the next 6 weeks like you said and give you and Malcolm sometime to get to know one another without pressure of having to make it work." Jim said between saying hello to people in the square with Kate.

"But I have that pressure on me now" Kate hissed. "he doesn't know what kind of person I am and what if he doesn't like me this time around. Let's not forget that he was thoroughly smitten with Elisabeth for years so now I have to compete with his fantasies of your wife" Kate said.

"Don't remind me. Look at the bright side at least Elisabeth and I are happily married so he'll go through whatever motions he has to and then you two will happen again. You're very lovable" Jim offered.

"How sickening was he?" Kate asked as she noticed people were looking at her. She was now getting paranoid as to what they were thinking about in regards to her.

"Pretty bad but he got over quickly" Jim offered.

"Is it me or are people looking at us in the market?" Kate asked as they reached the infirmary.

"It's you, now you have secrets again you're worried they know but they don't" Jim said with a smile as he pushed the door open for Kate they went straight for the private room which was luckily as far away from Malcolm's bed as one could get. It didn't stop Kate from his looking his direction to see he sitting up and eating breakfast. she quickly turned and continued to follow Jim until they reached the door to the private room. Jim gave a soft knock. Taylor slid the door open and quietly waved them in.

"Hey" Kate said softly coming into the room. Alicia was dressed in hospital scrubs looking incredibly tired and pale as she was lying on one side of the double bed closest to the incubator.

"Hey" Alicia said as she adjusted herself in the bed smiling in relief that Kate and Jim were there to give her and Taylor a buffer as the twins were resting.

"How are you?" Kate asked as she crawled onto the empty side of the bed and pressing a button lifting up the back so she was upright like Alicia in the bed.

"I'm ok, a little out of it" Alicia said as Kate gently hugged her hello before making herself comfortable.

"I heard it was a rough night. Having babies and what not" Kate said with mock humour.

"Something like that" Alicia said dryly as she was glad Kate was making light of it so she could pretend everything was fine. She wanted desperately to talk with Kate alone but couldn't as Taylor was playing her keeper. So she settled for just having her best friend there and leaned her head on Kate's shoulder. "I'm sorry about outing your pregnancy to room full of medical personnel and Taylor" Alicia added.

"Don't worry about it. It's not like I was going to keep it a secret forever and you were high" Kate said with a smile.

"Geez Kate, you going to jump into my grave as quick?" Taylor asked referring to her being on his side of the bed. Kate laughed.

"Yep someone has to keep it warm for you" Kate replied tongue in cheek.

"Well I can accept that" Taylor said as he and Jim drew up chairs to the end of the bed. Jim had left the duffel bag by the door in plain view so Kate knew where it was for later.

"So Taylor and I need to go over the plexwork for you and your condition" Jim said as he pulled out his hand held plex. Kate made a face as she really didn't like the plexwork the paperwork of the 22nd century. It was incredibly intrusive and very personal.

"Well that isn't entirely the reason why you both are here" Taylor said.

"Ok" Jim said confused as he and Kate weren't sure what other reason they would be there for if it wasn't for going through Kate's plexwork about her 'condition' and Taylor doing the handover for the colony.

"Alicia and I last week were discussing who would the twins' god parents and we were planning a dinner next week but as that isn't an option. We'd like to ask if you two would do the honour of being the twins' godparents" Taylor said. Jim and Kate both looked surprised at the offer it took a moment before it really sunk in with them and then Kate spoke.

"Wow, of course" Kate said with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm honoured but are you two sure about this? Me and Kate?" Jim asked pointing at himself and Kate.

"Hey! I'm offended that you doubt their choice. What's wrong with me?" Kate asked Jim.

"Nothing it's just that it's an odd matchup" he said.

"Well we just picked your two names randomly out of a hat." Alicia said dryly.

"You didn't do that" Jim said

"Of course we didn't and yes we are sure" Alicia told him.

"Just checking, choosing the god parents is a big deal" Jim said.

"You ever hear the idiom about never punching a gift horse in the mouth?" Kate asked

"I want them to be sure" Jim said half defensively and in humour. Alicia and Taylor were both smiling and shaking their heads at Kate and Jim.

"We are sure. So sure we have you first job as god parents which is making this list smaller" Taylor said handing over the plex with the list of names He and Alicia made months ago of names they liked but couldn't narrow down to just two names.

"Hold on, being a god parent is just being a life mentor and spiritual guide for the child" Kate said as she really didn't want to have it hanging over her head that she named the Golden twins of Terra Nova the wrong names.

"Please" Alicia said to Kate pleading as it was a long list and she didn't want to spend the hours with Taylor sorting through the list. She could barely be in the same room with him as right now she just wanted to scream and punch him.

"Ok, but I need a moment with my God husband" Kate said with a sigh.

"God husband?" Jim asked.

"Well parents are usually married" Kate explained like it was as simple as that and it was an actual legitimate title.

"It makes me a little uncomfortable you referring to me as your 'God husband'" Jim said making a face.

"Work Husband?" Kate offered which was Elisabeth's running joke that the two worked closely together and Jim was always buying Kate cupcakes and drinks like he did for her on special occasions.

"I'm comfortable with that as a compromise. Let's confer over the incubator" Jim said as Kate slid off the bed. She and Jim moved to stand over the incubator. They bowed their heads over the screen and looked between it and the twins like it would help their decision process. Taylor and Alicia watched as the two spoke in hushed voices and culled the list down.

"I like that name" Jim argued in a low and mockingly annoyed voice as Kate deleted it from the list. He was having fun even if he felt he was currently having no say in the name of the twins who were resting in the incubator.

"It's Dr Haynes First name" Kate told him rolling her eyes in disgust. She refused to allow either of the twins to have the same name as that woman.

"Ok it goes" Jim said as Kate tapped the screen making several more names delete. She was cut throat in her decisions.

"What about that name?" Jim said.

"Slutty" Kate sang.

"Are you seriously saying that name is slutty? It's my mother's name" Jim said in disbelief. Kate smiled sympathetically at him.

"I'm not slandering your mother who I'm sure was a lovely and chaste woman but I went to an all girl's school thus I'm crossing off every major slut and bitch's names from the list." Kate told him he nodded in comprehension.

"Oh if that's the case then you should definitely take that name off" Jim said as he pointed to a name and then to another "And that one" he added. He continued to point out a few other names.

"Seriously?" Kate asked when she crossed off another 10 names thanks to Jim and his knowledge of promiscuous girls in high school.

"I went to mixed sex school" Jim told her with a shrug.

"Why do I get the feeling you were a man slut in school?" Kate asked innocently

"I think you're mixing me up with Carter" Jim told Kate who's eyes went wide as something came to her mind.

"Oh so true which reminds me these three names have to go" Kate said.

"Why?" he asked. Kate made a derisive noise.

"you don't want to know" She told him in a rich tone.

"Ok" Jim said as he knew when Kate said the phrase 'you don't want to know' he was definitely better off not knowing.

"Now these five have to go" Kate said.

"Why? I like those names" Jim asked Kate locked eyes with him.

"Think really carefully about what kind of nicknames they would have growing up in school"

"Not getting it" he said.

"I really need Boylan here. He would understand"

"Why?"

"Because he's Australian and is practiced in the art of taking the piss out of someone and making insults and names for amusement sake" Kate told him, she leaned in close and whispered in his ear quiet enough that Alicia and Taylor couldn't hear what she was saying when she was finished she pulled back and Jim looked at her half amused and half scandalised.

"That is, no I can't believe girls would say that to one another especially to their faces" he said.

"Oh they would. Girls can be just as vicious as boys." Kate said as she looked down at the list and smiled at the four names.

"Ok, then there was four. Good work Deputy" Jim said as he smiled.

"Well it helped that you know alot of promiscuos women. I wonder how Elisabeth would feel about that" Kate teased as she went back to lying on the bed next to Alicia. Jim handed the plex to Taylor.

"That isn't fair it took us hours to compile that list" Alicia said.

"I'm cut throat about these things" Kate said

"Kate did you go to a Private Catholic school?" Jim asked innocently though his smile was anything but.

"Public, non-denominational. I used to go to non scripture during the mandatory religious period. Religion doesn't dictate how promiscuous a girl is." Kate said poking out her tongue at him.

"What are the names?" Alicia asked smiling at the criterion Kate used to choose the babies names. She wondered if Taylor's or her mother's name made the cut.

"Anna, Rei, Ava and Ella" Taylor said. Alicia tried not to laugh at the fact that Taylor's mother's name wasn't in the final running while her Mother's name did make the cut.

"Yes Jim and I did the hard yards now you guys have the easy part to just choose between those four names" Kate said with a exaggerated sigh. Taylor had snorted at how Kate made it sound like it took her and Jim days to decide on the four names when it was only about 10 minutes.

* * *

_TBC~ Yay! the Babies are born what will their names be? How will Taylor get Alicia to forgive him? What will Happen when Malcolm meets Kate for the second time? Well you'll just have to wait for the next update in a few days :-)_


	35. Chapter 35

_A/N: Busy and distracting places this week... Sorry for any writing boo boos! Will have more next week! Big Thank yous for the reviews and ENJOY!_

* * *

"Hi" Kate said standing at the end of Malcolm's bed. He looked up from the plex in his hands at her.

"Hello" he said, there wasn't the slightest whisper of recognition as he looked at her waiting for to do something or say something. Kate however was caught up in seeing him awake and talking that she stood there staring at him with a soft smile. It took her a moment to shake out of it.

"Sorry, I'm Kate Renshaw" Kate said as she moved toward him and held out her hand.

"Malcolm Wallace but I guess you know that as you are my fiancé" he said as he took her hand and gave it a firm shake.

"Yes" Kate said giving him a warm smile.

"But no ring" he said noticing her left hand was bare. Kate winced as he sounded so suspicious of her already.

"It's a long story that I will tell you. Just not today as it will take more than an hour and I promised to babysit a friend's kid for him. So I'm sorry but this is a short visit" She said.

"That's ok" he said as he looked at her as if he was sizing her up to a certain list of criterion and she could tell by the lack of approval in his eyes. She had seen that look many times before just not from Malcolm. Kate held up the duffel bag and decided to try and stay as positive as she could.

"So I brought you this. It's your toiletries, pyjamas and some clothes for when you get tired of wearing scrubs. Just a few shirts etc. along with your personal plex that you like to have at home. I figure you'll want to know everything you've done or been up to research wise for the past 5 years" Kate said as she placed the duffel bag on the bed in easy reach for him.

"Oh wow, thank you" he said with a smile.

"So what were you reading?" Kate asked as she tried to take a look at the plex on the table in front of him to find it was turned off.

"I was reading about the colony in general and you" he told her.

"Me?" Kate asked.

"Your Public record, I don't mean to be impertinent but why would you be a deputy with your credentials?" Malcolm asked he picked the plex up and turned on the screen and Kate saw her false record being displayed.

"I don't understand" Kate said seeing what he was getting at.

"You could have been working on the Terra Nova Project or for the UN as an engineer for their domes. A pretty good life, yet you come here and instead of applying your engineering skills and knowledge you become a deputy" He said he made it sound like he was interviewing her for a job and asking why she wasn't utilising her education and that being a deputy was beneath her and waste of her natural talents. Obviously Elisabeth left out the minor detail that Kate wasn't from his time.

It was incredibly off putting, so she took a deep breath and inwardly counted to three as she really wanted to cry. She already missed her 'Malcolm' and had wished for some miraculous TV moment where he'd see her and be inundated with emotions and just know that he loved her. But no he was talking to her like a complete stranger.

"Could you possibly talk to me like we are friends having coffee and not an employer giving me an interview?" Kate asked him as she took the plex out of his hands.

"But you are not my friend or a prospective employee though you could work for me if you wanted to. I can't imagine being a deputy is the dream job of an engineer-" he rambled.

"Malcolm what did Elisabeth tell you about me?" Kate asked cutting him off.

"That you are my fiancé and a deputy who worked with her husband. Apparently we are happy and madly in love but honestly I don't feel any of it" he said plainly.

"Wow" Kate said as it cut deep in her to hear him vocalise that he felt nothing for her. He seemed to realise his blunder as Kate couldn't stop the tears from filling her eyes.

"Oh I… sorry it's just-" he stopped as Kate waved a hand silencing him as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"You have no memory of the past 5 years. I know and that excuse will get you far" Kate said wondering how much longer she could sit in his presence before the pain became too much.

"I sincerely apologise, I do. It's difficult I woke up last night and found I have lost five years of my life and that I'm engaged to a woman I- no offence never pictured myself with. I mean we share nothing in common except varying knowledge in engineering field." he said apparently her limit was incredibly low as she was ready to leave the room but she persevered. She needed to get her thick skin back so she could take sit throw what was going to be some very painful weeks of Malcolm getting to know her.

"Perhaps instead of trying to put the pieces together in the hopes they make sense. We just start fresh. You getting to know me and I you because I think I deserve at least that much before you give me the flick" Kate said as calmly as she could.

"I wasn't-"

"Please you're about subtle as an ox in a china shop about what you think about me right now." Kate told him curtly.

"I'm being honest about my situation." Malcolm stated as he couldn't understand why she was getting so upset.

"There's honesty and then there's having no tact and you are displaying the latter. Trust me I have hopes but they aren't unrealistic. I know you'll never get your memories back, that you have reverted to a stage in your life where your different views and opinions on your life, that this is all a big disappointmen-"

"No, not a disappointment just a-"

"So you aren't thinking about how much you wish I was Elisabeth Shannon right now?" Kate asked him as she didn't miss his wandering eyes. He looked embarrassed as his neck went red, Kate looked down at her hands for a moment.

"Am I that transparent? Or-"

"I know how you felt … feel about her. It will change" She told him

"And you're just going to wait for that change?" Malcolm said as if she were delusional to think he would ever change.

"I don't have a choice. I love you and I'm not willing to walk away from us but I don't expect you to get it. But could you at least give me a chance?" She asked him. Silence lapsed between them as Malcolm didn't know what to say. Kate gave a sardonic smile and stood up from her chair "I'm going to go and I'll be back tomorrow in the morning, maybe we can start fresh?" Kate asked.

"Yes, of course and thank you for the bag" he said.

"You're welcome." Kate said before she left his bedside. He watched her walk out of the infirmary stiffly and felt like the world's biggest ass. He was engaged to a beautiful woman and he had to get bogged down in the details of who she was and her being a deputy instead of scientist.

He was just nervous at the thought of her and then seeing her in person. She was beautiful and young which made him wonder what the hell she was doing with him when she could be with a man closer to her own age. He also felt conflicted as he wished he felt something for her but the truth was he felt nothing; she was a stranger to him. He gave a sigh and decided tomorrow he would try to be a better version of himself for her as he had to remember to be more sensitive and that she was in love with him well the older version. He may have lost 5 years of his memory but she lost the man she loved.

He pulled the duffel bag and opened it up pulling out his personal plex. He smiled as he typed in his password and the plex unlocked. He started immediately tapping through the plex at all the research from flora to fauna there were terabytes of information which he surfed out of as he knew he was prolific journal writer for not only his research but personal life. He found it cathartic to read over his past but in this case it would be a crash course on what he had forgotten.

He tapped his personal folder and was glad to see he was still a creature of habit as there were journals for the past five years but there was also a folder on Kate. He opened it wondering what kind of dossier he kept on the woman when he found several files dated 2016 and further back. It raised his curiosity but his attention was drawn to the photos he enlarged a few and noted they were of him and Kate.

He scrolled through all the photos, one after another all carrying the same themes of them smiling at one another or the camera. It was clear to see they had been in love. He looked incredibly happy with her and vice versa. It confirmed what Elisabeth had told him. He gave a sigh and exited the photo and moved the files with Kate's name and opened the first folder. His eyes went wide as he read the information.

* * *

By the time Kate made back to her house she managed to box up everything she felt in regards to Malcolm as she needed all her energy for Olivia. She opened the door and stepped in to find the place unusually quiet. Evan looked up from the lounge and smiled.

"Hey, Olive is down for the count. How are Alicia and twins?" Evan asked as he put down his plex on the coffee table.

"Beautiful as always. They haven't picked their names yet but the list is down to four" Kate said as she flopped down on the lounge next to him.

"Nice. Picking names is the hardest part." Evan said, a moment of silence passed between them "Jim told me about Malcolm and the memory loss" Evan said carefully testing the waters and the lock and chains Kate wrapped around her metaphorical box containing her feeling on the subject.

"He doesn't recognise me at all" Kate said looking down as she knew she wasn't fooling anyone. It hurt deeply that Malcolm didn't recognise her even though it wasn't personal. It felt incredibly personal and she couldn't help that she felt like she was never going to measure up to being a suitable woman for Malcolm Wallace. She couldn't compete with Elisabeth and she couldn't be like her either.

"I'm sorry" Evan said empathetically.

"Me too" Kate said picking a piece of invisible lint off her pant leg.

"So what's going happen?" Evan asked.

"In regards to?" Kate asked as she really didn't know what he was referring to.

"Malcolm, me and the kids the house and living arrangements etc." Evan said.

"Malcolm is going to stay in the infirmary for another couple of weeks and then he'll come home, I guess. I don't know how it's going to work out to be honest but I'm not going to kick you and the kids to the curb so you can relax" Kate said as she propped her head up with and elbow on the back of the couch.

"I didn't think you would I just wanted to know. If you want we can double the kids up into one room and leave the third room as a spare for him to sleep in. In case he's uncomfortable with sharing a bed with you" Evan suggested. Kate gave nod as it probably wasn't a bad idea in case the current Malcolm was a complete prude about sleeping in the same bed as her.

"Might be an idea, I'll talk with Carter and see if one of the bed frames for your place are finished so we can get it set up in the next couple of weeks" Kate said with a sigh as she ran a hand over her face.

"You ok to watch Olive?" he asked concerned as she looked ready to fall asleep.

"Yeah, just a trying morning but I'm fine. Go see your sister" Kate said waving a dismissive hand at him.

"Ok, well I'm going to go see my sister for half an hour. Did you want me to get anything while I'm out?" Evan asked as he got up from the lounge.

"Cupcakes?" Kate asked him with a hint of a hopeful smile.

"You know eating your emotions isn't healthy" He said in a mock chastising tone as he watched Kate stretch out on the lounge and pulled out her comm. unit.

"If I was eating my emotions I'd ask you to go out into the jungle and bring home a brachiosaurus" Kate told him in a mockingly sweet voice as she typed in a message he assumed was for Carter and looked at him expectantly.

"That's a lot of emotions" he said as he knew a Brachiosaurus were very large dinosaurs. Something he had yet to encounter since arriving to Terra Nova. He hadn't seen any dinosaurs except for the odd pterodactyl flying over the colony once and a while.

"You have no idea" Kate drawled in an exhausted tone.

"Right, cupcakes it is" Evan said with a chuckle.

"Thank you" Kate said as she watched him leave the house. She gave into another sigh as she sunk further onto the lounge and waited for Carter to reply to her message.

* * *

"I like Rei" Alicia said as she and Taylor were still deciding on the names of the twin girls.

"It's a boy's name" Taylor said as he folded his arms a common body signal that told Alicia he wasn't going to allow one of their little girls to be named 'Rei'

"It's a girl's name too" she said pushing for the name as she liked it.

"I want her to have a feminine name" Taylor argued.

"Rei is a beautiful name" She countered.

"It's a beautiful name for a boy" Taylor said with a hint of humour as Alicia fought not to roll her eyes.

"It's a unisex name like Ashley, Peyton or Riley" Alicia told him. After Kate and Jim left Alicia had taken a nap to avoid talking with Taylor and she had hoped he would have left the room but when she woke up he was still there watching her. So she picked a relatively safe topic of naming the twins.

A knock sounded at the door and Evan popped his head. "Hey, permission to intrude?" he asked with a good humoured smile.

"Granted, get your butt in here" Alicia said glad to have her brother be a buffer between her and Taylor. Her good feelings melted when she remembered the argument and the truth of why she and Evan lost contact reared its ugly head.

Evan came into the room and gave a nod to Taylor before he continued to the incubator and looked down at the twins. "Wow sis they are beautiful" he said.

"Thank you" Alicia said. Evan looked up at her and frowned as he didn't miss the disappointment in her tone.

"What's wrong?" Evan asked referring to the twins they were barely a day old and his sister wasn't happy. He could only think the twins had complications Taylor and Alicia hadn't told the others.

"She knows" Taylor said bringing up the one conversation Alicia didn't want to have especially with the twins in the room. Sure they couldn't understand what was being said but she felt they would feel the negative energy and didn't want that.

"Knows what?" Evan asked blankly as he felt like he had walked into the middle of the conversation and not the beginning of it.

"What happened 10 years ago" Alicia said darkly as she pursed her lips and folded her arms glaring at Taylor. Evan cursed under his breath and looked at Alicia with face wrought with guilt and annoyance. But the annoyance was directed more at Taylor than Alicia.

"We may as well bury the hatchet" Taylor said diplomatically.

"It's not that simple" Alicia said thinking it was typical for when she was in the dog house he'd make punish her for weeks with grueling work and training schedule but when the tables were turned and he was in the dog house. He suddenly wanted to kiss and make up like it never happened and forget about it.

"You're the only one who is complicating it" Taylor told her.

"You both lied to me for years. I thought Evan hated me because I was forever pushing him to make something of himself and that he disowned me because of it. We promised we would never lie about anything to one another and yet you kept this secret and passively lied to me for years in not telling me the truth" Alicia said in an angry and low voice to Taylor.

"Alicia-" Evan started carefully only for his sister to cut him off.

"No, you'll get your turn" Alicia snapped at Evan. She looked at Taylor with fury in her eyes "Do you know how much you've hurt me, how much of a fool you have made by your silence?" she asked him. Taylor sat there passive as he was sure no matter what he said would help him. Alicia looked to Evan. "I never stopped blaming myself for what happened. I thought it was my fault and I would tell Nathaniel about how I wished we could have patched things up before I left for Terra Nova and even before that and he said nothing. You said nothing either. You made me believe I was the bad person. I sent you hundreds of messages and you never once replied"

"I never got those messages" Evan told her.

"I sent them" She said in a cold and firm tone as she felt he was accusing her of lying.

"I know, I believe you. I'm telling you I never got them. Alicia, I was a screw up back then and he was right in what he asked of me. I could have been shot for treason and you right beside me and it was all because I was the idiot. I was also an idiot for not realising what I was giving up. I also tried to contact you many times over the years" Evan told her, she saw he was being honest which softened her anger toward her brother.

"You did?" Alicia asked.

"Yeah, I wanted you to know about Lena, I wanted you to know about Sean and about Olivia. I wanted you to be their guardian if anything happened to me. I'm sorry about it all I wish I had a time fracture that could take me back to the past and fix it all but I can't. Please don't cut me out of your life" he pleaded.

Alicia shook her head in disbelief of the situation. She was so happy to have her brother back and still was but everything felt tainted. She felt the anger bubble in her and wondered why they couldn't have had this conversation years ago. But now it was wreaking havoc with her and her life, their family.

"I'm so angry and disappointed at both of you for this and you know what? I don't care about what happened 10 years ago but I do care about is the fact that you both omitted truths from me and I don't want this discussion now when I should be happy and naming my children and enjoying their presence instead of feeling angry and betrayed by my own family. Having a discussion I don't want to have in the infirmary with the twins in the room" Alicia said losing steam as she found being angry was exhausting her and depressing her at the same time.

"I am truly sorry, if you want me to leave" Evan said.

"No, stay you've been out of my life long enough. I may want to throttle both of your asses right now but I'm not in any shape. We have four names and can't decide" Alicia said in a despondant tone as she handed the plex she had to Evan.

"Ava and Ella" He said as he handed the plex back.

"Really? Are you sure?" Alicia asked him as he answered way too quickly.

"Yeah, Ava after Mom and Ella because it goes better than Anna does. Also Rei is a dude's name" He told her.

"It's a girl's name too"

"So how long are you going to be angry at us?" Evan asked as he knew he and Taylor were in the dog house where they so rightly deserved to be.

"I don't know, I'm tired and I don't want to talk about it. I had twins cut out of me like I'm some kind of turducken" Alicia said with an exhausted sigh.

The door to the room opened and Elisabeth came in "Oh sorry am I interrupting?" she asked. Elisbeth was always too intuitive about the mood in the air and Alicia knew the doctor could sense the tension.

"No, I was just leaving. Kate desires cupcakes. I'll come by tomorrow of that's ok?" Evan asked Alicia gave a smile at Evan mentioning Kate and knew if she wanted cupcakes then what went down with Malcolm didn't end well. That or she was finally having pregnancy cravings.

"Yeah, we'll talk some more then. Could you tell Kate I want to talk with her tomorrow as well?" Alicia asked him.

"No problem" Evan said with a nod before he left the room.

"Commander I'll need you to leave the room" Elisabeth said to Taylor, he narrowed his eyes at the doctor.

"Why?" He asked.

"I have to run some scans and talk with Alicia privately. It'll be no more than a couple hours" Elisabeth assured him.

"Ok" Taylor said reluctantly vacating the room. Alicia looked at Elisabeth and gave the woman a grateful look.

"Thank you" Alicia said after Elisabeth closed the door.

"You're welcome. I could tell things were getting a little heated in here from your vitals" Elisabeth said as she motioned to the screen with Alicia's BP and Heart rate. Alicia had forgotten that Elisabeth was monitoring her from outside the room.

"It's all a mess" Alicia said in disbelief as she covered her face with her hands.

"Families are rarely ever perfect" Elisabeth commented with a sympathetic smile as she moved to the incubator to check on the twins.

"Do you want to run those scans?" Alicia asked.

"No, I was fibbing about all of that. Now have you decided on the names?" Elisabeth asked.

"Ava and Ella"

"Lovely names but who will be who?" Elisabeth asked.

"Baby Wash will be Ava and Taylor will be Ella" Alicia said it only seemed fitting that she name the child named 'Baby Wash' after her mother. Elisabeth accessed the screen above and typed in the names. The original names Jim had given the twins was replaced with the new ones.

"Hello little Ava and little Ella" Elisabeth cooed to the babies below. Alicia felt her eyes well up with tears as her emotions overwhelmed her. She wished they were happy tears but they were tears of sadness which she quickly wiped the tears away. Elisabeth looked up and felt her heart ache for Alicia as the woman was always so strong and now looked broken when she should be happy.

"Sorry" Alicia said annoyed she was crying.

"Don't be, you have nothing to be sorry about" Elisabeth said.

"You're right. I really want to hold them" Alicia said tears falling down her face she hated being weepy but she missed having the twins inside her. Even if she had been the size of a rover she felt disconnected from them even though they were in the same room. It wasn't the same and she wanted to hold them desperately to reconnect.

"I know in a couple more days you can and I'll make sure you are the very first person" Elisabeth told her.

Elisabeth stayed for a few minutes before leaving Alicia so she could have some privacy for the first time in 24 hours. She ended up having the room to herself for the rest of the afternoon which gave her much needed alone time to digest her thoughts with Taylor sitting like a gargoyle watching her and the twins. The only time she was interrupted was to feed the babies or change them with Elisabeth. Though she didn't think of them as interruptions but something she wanted to do instead of think about how angry and upset she was.

Elisabeth was a blessing to Alicia as the woman told her stories of her kids and every 'bad' parent thing that she and Jim did and still the kids turned out well along with helpful tips and reassuring Alicia the more the babies ate the better as they would get stronger. It made her feel better that the reassurances were being said as it made her feel less like a failure as a mother since she hadn't carried them to term.

She wished she wouldn't beat herself up about it but she just added failure to the list with naive fool. Though she did wonder what happened to the messages she sent Evan and vice versa. He claimed he never got them and she never got any of his messages. She wondered where they had gone but the thoughts drifted from her as she fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Elisabeth checked in on Alicia and found the woman peacefully asleep. When she closed the door she saw Taylor coming back into the room and promptly grabbed the commander by the arm and dragged him into her office and closed the door.

"I'm going to speak as a friend to you and not your doctor" Elisabeth stated, Taylor's curiosity was piqued as he nodded for to continue. elisabeth took a deep breath and then to his surprise smacked him in the arm "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Elisabeth hissed in an annoyed and low voice.

"Excuse me?" Taylor asked shocked to have Elisabeth mad at him since he didn't know what he did to deserve it. He spoke in an equally low voice as he didn't need anyone overhearing and was glad Elisabeth had some sense to dress him down behind closed doors.

"I said don't stress her out, to keep her calm for another 10 weeks if possible. Make sure she doesn't overexert herself and you decide it's the most appropiate time to have fight and then continue to have it out during her recovery?" Elisabeth asked him with her hands on her hips.

"It's not how it happened" Taylor said as he didn't want to discuss his marital problems with Elisabeth but still felt the need to defend himself.

"No because that woman in there is feeling like she's a bloody failure and a fool because of you. You don't think those children can't sense you three having it out or Alicia's pain? They need a positive environment and so does Alicia" Elisabeth said.

"Were you listening in on our fight?" Taylor asked.

"No, I was doing rounds when my computer system alerted me to the changes in Alicia's BP and heart rate. I was concerned for my patient and lucky I checked in. She had major surgery and is incredibly fragile mental state not that she'd ever admit to. She needs to be supported and comforted. So whatever you two are fighting about which I don't care to know the specifics of. Either Box it up and put on a shelf for later or fix the problem and do it as quickly and efficiently as possible because right now she needs you to be the supportive husband who we all know you are and be with her and the children" Elisabeth told him.

"This is an inappropiate conversation for us to be having Doc" Taylor said.

"No, what is inappropiate is stressing your recovering wife into mess of tears when she has done nothing to deserve it" Elisabeth told him.

"I know, I'm trying to make amends but I can't work miracles. Is that all?" he asked.

"Yes, you may go but if I find you two fighting or Alicia in distress again like she was this afternoon I'll revoke your visiting privileges"

"You wouldn't" Taylor said narrowing his eyes at her for threatening to interfere with his right to see his children and wife.

"Try me" Elisabeth said holding his gaze before he lifted his chin in a show of defiance.

* * *

A few hours later she woke and found that night had fallen she wondered why no one had woken her for dinner. She could see Taylor sleeping uncomfortably in the chair by her bed. She picked up the pillow on the empty side of the bed and tossed at him and hit him square in the face waking him up.

"Get in the bed" she told him with a sigh.

"I'm fine where I am. Go back to sleep" Taylor said adamantly as he shifted uncomfortably in the chair.

"Don't be an ass. Get in the bed now or go home you can't sleep in that chair it'll give you a bad back" Alicia told him.

"I didn't think I'd be welcome" he said.

"Just get in the bed before I change my mind and don't think I'm not still angry with you." Alicia told him.

"Ok" Taylor said as he got up from the chair and stretched before moving to the bed and removing his belt and boots before getting under the sheets. "I am sorry" he told her in a low voice as he relaxed into the bed beside her. He was careful not to touch her as he didn't want to rile her up.

"For what? lying to me or actively keeping my brother from me? The messages had to go somewhere, someone had to divert them" Alicia asked she was bluffing about thinking Taylor was involved in the messages going missing but felt she should test the waters.

"For everything" Taylor said which played into Alicia's bluff. Tears slipped down the sides of her face as Taylor confirmed in not so many words that he did actively keep her brother away from her.

"We shouldn't talk about it now" Alicia said as she wished she could turn her back to him but her abdomen was still too sore for her to sleeping on her side.

"Then we won't. Just know I'm going to do whatever it takes for you to forgive me and that I love you" he said.

* * *

TBC~ Cya all in a few days with more :-)


	36. Chapter 36

Kate felt apprehensive as she walked into the infirmary she wondered what new level of hell she was walking into as she didn't need a repeat of yesterday's first meeting. How was she supposed to tell Malcolm she was pregnant with their future child when he didn't think she was anything special and felt nothing for her? It was very disheartening to say the least and she already felt like a fool as she was putting on a show today for him as she had dressed nice for the occasion.

She couldn't believe she had dressed up and brought berry cake with her, as if it would improve Malcolm's opinion of her. She was wearing her favourite maxi dress. It was her day off so she figured she wouldn't wear pants. It was a plain navy tank maxi dress which she matched with a soft cotton light grey ¾ sleeve drape cardigan, her hair was loose around her shoulders wishing she knew who cut hair in the Colony so she get the length cut from her waist to just a few inches below her collar bones as the long hair was becoming too much maintenance for her.

She walked up to the bed noting Malcolm was sitting up in bed and was wearing one of the shirts she had packed with hospital scrubs as the bottom looking relaxed as he was reading his plex. He looked up as she approached the bed and gave a smile. It was a better start than yesterday.

"Good morning" He said warmly.

"Hey, you're in a good mood" Kate said as she pulled up table on wheels and placed the container with two forks on the table before him. "I bought berry cake" she told him.

"Just so you know. You don't have to bring me something every time you visit. I assume you'll be here daily thus I wanted to make it clear from the start" He said. Kate quirked an eyebrow at him and smiled.

"Who said it was for you? This is my morning tea. I'm just sharing it. If you want some. If not more for me!" Kate teased as she pulled up a stool so she was able to sit by his bed and be able to reach the cake. She pulled of the lid and handed him a fork. Malcolm chuckled as he took the fork but waited for her to take first bite of the cake.

"Thank you" he said.

"So are you proud of all your accomplishments these past five years?" Kate asked gesturing to the plex.

"Yes, the research I have done, papers I've written and published. The only sad part is that I can't remember them but then I also don't recall the frustrations which I think would be a good thing" Malcolm said he had barely scratched the surface on his work as he had spent most of yesterday and the morning reading all about her. Not that he'd ever admit it to Kate but he found all his notes on her incredibly interesting.

"Hmm yeah I imagine so" Kate said before she took a bite of the cake.

"You should know I kept copies of your original personal records and history that I removed from the 'eye' and public network." Malcolm said carefully as he didn't want to upset her again.

"So I don't need to tell you all about how I'm not from the 22nd century?" Kate asked before she took another bite of the cake.

"No, I have read over my journals as well"

"You write journals?" Kate asked surprised.

"Ever since I was a teenager, I'm a note keeper of everything including my thoughts" Malcolm said feeling his neck grow warm as he wondered how she felt about him being a prolific journal writer. Some women found attractive while others not so much.

"I know you keep records or journals cataloguing your research for your work but not personal journals" Kate said.

"Ah so we still have some secrets" he said with an amused expression.

"Every person is entitled to their secrets" Kate said diplomatically.

"I just wanted you know I understand where you are coming from better and my thoughts and feelings in regards to you retrospectively speaking of course" He said.

"Of course" Kate said with a warm smile. He couldn't help but take in all the little things about her. Her unusual grey eyes, the small freckles on her face and the light blush to her cheeks. The way she held her fork and strategically cut into the cake making sure she got a cherry or a blueberry while bypassing the strawberries in the cake. She was unique and there was no denying she was beautiful especially with her down.

"I'm hoping you'll allow me the chance to get to know you again and vice versa as I'm sure I'm not the same man you know" he said as he purposely attacked the parts of the cake with the strawberries.

"I'd like that. Though I have to ask why you didn't balk at my military history" Kate said watching him carefully for his reaction.

"I have to admit I found it distasteful the idea of what you were or are as you can't really forget that kind of training can you?" He asked with genuine honesty.

"No, not really they ingrained it in me pretty well" Kate said with a shrug. She knew for a long time her training would forever be a part of her and there was no denying what she was capable of.

"Do you know you were trained with earliest forms of immersion psy-op military training?" Malcolm asked her.

"Yes, back then it was controversial. They were trying to train more soldiers who had the mental fortitude and compliancy to not burnout or hesitate or freeze up on a mission. The Perfect Soldiers was the point of it. We used to call the Psy-ops division the 'dollhouse' as you go into their office and you come out different person tailored for your mission. You come back from a mission twitchy and they'd patch you up mentally of course so you could go back into the field" Kate said with a shrug.

"Yes, I apparently researched a lot on the subject to understand why you acted certain ways and your thought patterns. I'm always deciphering you apparently" Malcolm said he watched Kate take in the information.

"Don't worry I'm always trying to figure you out too" Kate said.

"I'm not a fan of the military but I understand their purpose, their function. I know why you went the path you did and why you are a deputy now. I'll probably ask you again why but then I'll hear your thoughts instead of my assumptions and what I have in here. But what got me about this journal was that I was happy, am happy.. I'm not sure what tenses I should be uses" he said.

"It's fine either way please continue" Kate said.

"Well it said that I was happy and that we deeply love one another and I know that is worth trying to get back. I'm sure if I fell in love with you once I can do it again" He said.

"As long as you are doing it for yourself and not out of pity for me" Kate stated though she couldn't help but smile as his words warmed her.

"No, I'm doing this is for myself. This cake is delicious" Malcolm said as he took another bite he shared in the smile with Kate.

* * *

Alicia laid in bed watching the twins in their incubator, they had been fed and changed and were now peacefully sleeping. She swore she could do so for the rest of her life and never get bored. Taylor had stayed for breakfast and gone home to shower and get changed into fresh clothes. He also voiced something about making a stop by the Command Centre to check on Jim. Alicia marvelled at how he just couldn't let someone take the reins of the colony for more than 48 hours without checking on them. But she took the alone time for herself as she knew he would be back for lunch and the rest of the afternoon. A soft knock sounded at the door.

"Hey, you want a visitor?" Kate asked Alicia as she popped her head through the door. Alicia looked over at her friend who was looking beautiful and relaxed with her red hair our and a casual maxi tank dress with cardigan.

"Sure" Alicia said. The door widened and so did Alicia's smile as Kate came into the room with a container with two cupcakes. Kate closed the door before she moved to the bed. She didn't even ask for permission as she reclined onto the bed beside Alicia.

"How are you going?" Kate asked Alicia.

"I've been better, you?"

"Just the usual boring fatigue, I bought you a cupcake. Where's Taylor?" Kate asked.

"Having a shower and tying up loose ends with Jim" Alicia said with a shrug.

"Good, since it is just you and me with no Taylor around. You can tell me every gross detail of what happened so I can be prepared when it's my turn. That and I didn't want to share my cupcake with more than the parasite." Kate said seriously as she turned onto her side to look at Alicia.

"The parasite?" Alicia asked. She had kind of hoped that maybe Malcolm waking up would mean Kate would warm up to the idea of calling her baby a baby or child as Parasite had a very negative connitation.

"I have to call it something and that's what it feels like as its draining all my energy and making me ridiculously hungry and emotionally psychotic since it's hung up the occupied sign in my uterus" Kate told her.

"Ok" Alicia drawled slowly as she was amused and trying not laugh as she wasn't sure Kate would appreciate it.

"So talk to me, so I don't have to think about the colossal mess my life is right now" Kate said.

"It's was a mess and everything is still a mess" Alicia started in a deflated tone as she felt she and Kate were in the same boat just for different reasons.

"I don't know the babies are small but they look healthy" Kate said with a smile.

"The girls are perfect." Alicia said she then continued to tell Kate in a low voice about what happened. How she and Taylor had a fight and how she went into premature labour and because the twins were in distress she had to have a c-section, tears slipped from her eyes as she told Kate how she upset she was that she felt like a failure not being able to carry to term and give birth to the twins naturally.

"Alicia, they are alive and healthy. You're alive and well. You didn't fail anyone" Kate said as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind Alicia's ear. It comforted Alicia to hear Kate say those words and to see that she had one person she could confide her secrets in and know she would never be judged.

"I don't know what am I going to do with the situation with Taylor… I'm so angry at him and don't get me wrong I'm disappointed with Evan too but Taylor kept the knowledge to himself and said nothing" Alicia said she looked at Kate and frowned. "You knew before I told you"

"Evan told me when he first moved in. Please don't be mad with me, he promised me not to tell because he just wanted to be a family again and frankly it was his and Taylor's story to tell not mine" Kate said defensively.

"You're right it is their secret to tell. I'm not mad at you. You have supported my brother and his kids for the past month" Alicia said as she couldn't be angry at Kate. Her friend was going through enough as it was and Alicia wasn't going to punish her for keeping a secret that wasn't hers to begin with.

"I just put a roof over their heads" Kate said waving a dismissive hand.

"It's more than Taylor has done and Evan is my brother… why he couldn't have told me years ago is beyond me and how I allowed him to treat my brother-" Alicia stopped as she choked on the lump forming in her throat. Tears fell down her face as she shook her head. Kate took Alicia's hand and squeezed it in a comforting gesture.

"Hey don't get worked up, you have a right to be mad but for now I think we should bask in the cuteness of your babies and good vibes as you need your energy and strength to recover. You can be as angry and mad as you want when you get out of here and I'm babysiting the duo with Evan" Kate offered with a smile.

"You're right" Alicia said as she didn't want to be angry when she had no way of directing it into more useful means. Kate was right.

"Also my sister in law told me when she was mad at my brother she'd make him do all the dirty jobs. Diaper changing and cleaning up the spew, the laundry etc. I'm totally putting Evan on that when we are on diaper duty. Aunty Kate gets the cute time while Unlce Evan has poopy time" Kate said with a smile. Alicia chuckled as Kate always had a plan for everything.

"I'll keep that in mind for Taylor" Alicia said.

"Did you know Malcolm keeps a journal?" Kate asked changing the topic.

"No" Alicia said looking to Kate who had her head propped up on her elbow looking down at Alicia.

"Yeah apparently it's helped him come to terms with the fact that he's engaged to me and that at one point in time we loved each other madly except now it's all one sided" Kate said.

"What?" Alicia asked confused as to Why Malcolm would need to come to terms with his engagement when he popped the question.

"You don't know?" Kate asked her.

"Know what?" Alicia asked.

"Malcolm woke up from his coma missing 5 years of his memory"

"No one told me this"

"I'm telling you now. He can't remember the last five years. For him the last thing he remembers is stepping through the portal. He believed he had passed out but Elisabeth corrected him. He was majorly disappointed that Elisabeth was happily married with three kids"

"Kate, I'm sorry do you want me to go kick his ass?"

"No, not yet but I reserve the right to ask you to kick his ass later down the track. Anyway it's not anyone's fault just how the cookie crumbles. It could have been worse"

"I guess so"

"Yeah so I don't know what his diary says as he won't let me read it but apparently it was on his personal plex and he read the last five years in a matter of hours and has come to a decision" Kate said.

"A decision" Alicia repeated confused.

"Yes, he wants to move home and spend time with me and getting back into his old routine and lifestyle."

"Every aspect of his old routine?" Alicia asked quirking an eyebrow and giving a salacious smile. Kate poked her in the arm.

"Not that I asked but I don't know. I mean yesterday I was like the dirt on the ground and today he's all let's start slow and see how we go. I wondered what he wrote in that journal" Kate said.

"Dear Diary, today I bent Kate over my desk and-"

"Hush your dirty mouth, there are innocent babies present in this room" Kate said cutting Alicia off and speaking in a scandalised voice.

"They don't know what I'm saying" Alicia said innocently.

"Whatever, I seriously doubt Malcolm would ever be so crass like you" Kate said

"Crass? Moi?" Alicia asked incredulously.

"Yeah I reckon his Journal it reads like classy romance novel not like a 14 yr old boy's journal" Kate said dryly.

"Really?" Alicia drawled sarcastically. Kate gave a one shoulder shrug.

"Yes a very graphic and classy romance novel detailing every sordid erotic moment of our relationship including the time Jim walked in on us" Kate said with a sigh before bursting into laughter with Alicia. "Ok we shouldn't laugh" Kate said after a few moments.

"I know we should be serious about this. Jim was scarred for life, he was lucky he was blinded by how pale Malcolm's ass is" Alicia said making them burst into laughter again.

"Oh it feels good to laugh" Kate sighed.

"Yes it does. Thank you I needed that" Alicia said.

"Me too. So how long you going to be in here?" Kate asked.

"As long as my babies are" Alicia said coming down from her laughter high.

"Fair enough, is there anything you want me to do for you or bring with me on my visits?" Kate asked.

"No, just visit and make me laugh" Alicia told her, glad that she had Kate in her life as her spirits felt lifted from the frivolity of their conversations.

"I may have to steal Malcolm's personal plex for that" Kate said.

"No, don't invade his privacy"

"I won't. Hey are there any hair dressers in this colony?" Kate asked. Alicia looked at Kate as they had gone from serious conversation to laughing and now to everyday casual conversation.

"Yeah talk Boylan he can make the meet and greets for you. Are you planning on shaving your head because I don't approve" Alicia told her matter of factorily.

"No just want a trim up to here and maybe some layers to lighten up the load on my head" Kate said as she gestured to the length she wanted her hair to be.

"I approve the changes" Alicia said after a moment's appraisal.

"I'm so glad" Kate said dryly.

* * *

After Kate left Alicia in the Infirmary she headed to the bar. She hadn't been down in a long time as she felt the booze would be an attractive distraction for when she was miserable and waiting for Malcolm to wake. A good thing too as she would have hurt the unborn baby.

"Boylan" Kate said with a warm smile as she sidled up to the bar. Boylan who was polishing glasses behind the bar smiled his usual smile at her.

"Kate it is such a joy to see you smiling again. Now what do you want as I know you didn't come here to sweep me off my feet and take me away from all this" Boylan said dramatically making Kate laugh.

"I'd like a drink" She said.

"Of the non alcoholic variety" he said loudly.

"Sure" Kate said looking at him oddly as he placed a glass of green powdery looking drink. "What is it?" she asked as she sniffed it and took a closer look.

"It's cloudy apple juice, very good for the body" He assured her.

"Ok" Kate said with a questionable tone as it didn't look appetising in the least and she drank green smoothies.

"It's perfectly safe for you to consume" Boylan told her.

"Ok what's going on?" Kate asked him as she narrowed her eyes at him suspicious of his behaviour. But before Boylan could give her an answer he blurted.

"Terra Mummies on your six" he said, Kate turned her back to the bar and prepared herself for a civic complaint as the group of four women came up to her. The leader of the pack was Bree Huntington a totally Queen bee as she was followed by her little worker bees Charmaine, Celeste, Flo and Tracy.

"Deputy Renshaw" Bree said with a big shiny fake smile plastered on her face.

"Yes?" Kate asked.

"We the Terra Nova Mother's group wanted to congratulate you on the news that you are expecting and we want to offer you a spot in mothers group as we know you'll need plenty of guidance and support during your pregnancy" Bree said with a smile. Kate wondered if it hurt Bree to smile like she was all the time.

"Excuse me?" Kate asked confused as to why they were making such forward assumptions of her. They shouldn't know anything about her pregnancy.

"I know it's supposed to be a secret but we felt we should come forward and offer our support" Bree said, Kate looked at the woman incredulously and then at Boylan who was waiting for her response.

"Who told you I had a belly full of arms and legs?" Kate asked purposely being crude as she was not happy with anyone knowing but she knew no amount of denial would get her free of the mess. The women looked at her slightly put off by her less than stellar appreciation of their congratulations. She also figured if she was crude they wouldn't want to associate with her as they were polite people.

"The whole Colony is buzzing with it" Celeste said which got her a look of censure from Bree for speaking out of turn.

"Really, how nice. Isn't that nice Boylan?" Kate asked him.

"Real nice" Boylan said agreeing with her as he was thoroughly amused by the show.

"Yeah I don't know the social etiquette in the 22nd Century but in my century usually one waits until the couple announce they are having a baby before people congratulate them. They don't speculate on rumour and decide it has to be true and put on a show like you all are" Kate told them.

"So you aren't pregnant?" Flo asked.

"Wow, it's none of your business either way and I have better things to deal with than the tongue waggings of this colony. Please go back to your morning tea and forget this ever happened" Kate told them.

"No need to be rude" Bree said in a dimplomatic tone.

"My fiancé has been in a coma for three weeks, I haven't slept well due to the fact of not knowing whether he'd wake up or not and if he did what kind of condition his brain would be in. So excuse me if I'm not overflowing with warmth as I find your congratulations presumptuous as it's not the first time rumours of my uterus being occupied have been spread before" Kate said.

"Well, excuse me" Bree said as she placed a hand on her chest looking offended as Kate said the word 'Uterus' out loud in a bar with others looking on. "That is not a polite way to speak to people"

"My apologies and good day" Kate said, she turned her back to them and took a long pull of her apple juice. After a moment when the girls realised they were dismissed they walked away. Boylan chuckled as he picked up another glass and proceeded to polish it.

"Well you took care of that rather neatly." he said sarcastically.

"Who told them?" Kate asked him.

"Not me, I only heard it from Jing this morning when she came in for her shift. So it's true? Your uterus has put up the 'occupied' sign?" he asked in a casual tone.

"I need a hairdresser and the name of the person who sourced that rumour" Kate said ignoring the question.

"Samia is the best but she retired. I might be able to persuade her to cut your hair as I am her gentleman caller but the name of the -" Boylan stopped as Kate had grabbed the collar of her shirt and pulled him down so they were on eye level with one another. She spoke in a low voice only he could hear her.

"Yes, my uterus is occupied but I'd prefer Malcolm hear the news from me and not the whole damn colony. I trust you can keep your mouth shut" Kate said in a steely tone as she knew Boylan would try to swindle the information out of her. She just wished he had asked her as a friend not like they were bartering information.

"Alright, mum's the word" Boylan said in a strained voice she held his collar a little too tightly. Kate loosened her grip on his shirt and sat back on her stool. She gave an aggravated sigh as she ran her hands through her hair.

"What a mess" Kate said as she read her comm. Jim had sent her a message asking if she had signed the forms. The forms stating she was pregnant and intending to stay on duty for 28 weeks and then go onto Maternity leave and so on and so forth. She had only skimmed the paperwork not really caring as she knew Jim would give her all the time she needed off and she accepted she'd have to cut back but it wasn't like they were in a huge city with a high crime rate.

"It's not that bad" Boylan said, the man had a sense of humour that was for sure.

"So says you. Find me that name and message me when you have a time for me to meet with Samia. Thanks" Kate said as she tossed a few terras on the bar for the drink.

"Done and don't be a stranger" Boylan told her.

"Yeah, we'll talk later" Kate said.

* * *

"You know being on paternity leave means you actually stay out of the office" Jim told Taylor.

"I am just checking in" Taylor said that and he wanted Alicia to get some alone time with Kate knowing they'd want to talk women stuff without him there.

"Are you going to be like this for the next 18 weeks?" Jim asked Taylor as he really couldn't do both his and Taylor's job with Taylor pestering him every day for a few hours. If Taylor wanted to shoot the breeze and play some Chess then Jim would be happy to see him but right now Taylor was bugging him.

"No" Taylor snapped grouchily.

"Because you might as well not claim paternity leave at all" Jim said. Guzman kept his head down as the two were bickering like an old married couple. It was easy for him to tell that Jim was the 'wife' in this scenario as he talked way too much.

"Ok, where's the paper work?" Kate asked as she came into the room unannounced. Taylor and Jim looked to Kate while Guzman moved out of the way. He heard the rumours of her being pregnant and felt it explained a lot of her recent emotional volatility and excessive fatigue. He also knew he'd be safer standing to the side out of the firing line as Kate looked ready to murder someone.

"Paperwork?" Jim asked.

"What are you doing here?" Taylor asked.

"I'm here to sign the damn paperwork about my uterus being occupied so I can get back to hunting down the little snitch who felt it necessary to tell the whole damn colony that I'm pregnant and scare them shitless so they never say boo about me again" Kate said in a calm and casual tone like she was talking about taking a walk around the colony because it was a sunny day. Jim and Taylor exchanged looks before Taylor spoke.

"The Colony doesn't know" Taylor said confused.

"The colony knows" Guzman said from his place.

"The medical staff were told to keep their mouths shut" Taylor said darkly as he didn't like it when people broke their word.

"There is also some speculation on who fathered the kid" Guzman added. Kate threw her hands up in the air.

"Great, because all I need is Malcolm overhearing that rumour and get it into his head that I'm either a liar and a whore trying to foist our kid onto him or he'll stay with me out of obligation even if we don't work out and be miserable" Kate stated sarcastically.

"You are being fairly dramatic. I'm sure Malcolm won't overhear" Taylor assured her.

"You should have been around Elisabeth when she was pregnant with Josh. She was fairly dramatic" Jim commented.

"Oh yes because the fathers group won't track him down and pat him on the back for getting me up the duff" Kate said in a passive aggressive manner.

"Up the duff, that phrase makes me a little uncomfortable" Jim informed Kate as he found some Australian slang a little too crass for his liking. He also didn't want her to accidently say around his kids as he didn't want them repeating some of the things Kate and Boylan said.

"So just give me the paperwork and I'll sign it and go. I have to find a way of telling my amnesiac fiancé that I'm pregnant before he hears the rumours. I've barely known that I'm pregnant for more than 48 hours. What is wrong with you people?" Kate said as she snatched the plex Jim held out to her and skimmed the paperwork for a third time.

"Us people?" Jim asked amused as he had never seen Kate so worked up since he had met her.

"Yeah, you can't keep your collective 22nd century noses out of my business. Or is it because we are a small colony people have nothing better to do than talk about other people's business? I wanted 6 weeks to re-establish my relationship with Malcolm and then tell him but no. I'm forced to drop this bomb and watch it explode. Yeah I can't wait I wonder if I'll have one day to prepare what I say or if I should just go and tell him now." She said as she signed the bottom in triplicate wondering why with all the technology she couldn't sign just once. She handed the plex back to Jim and gave an aggravated sigh.

"How about you sit down and take a few deep breaths" Jim suggested.

"Why don't you sit down. I'm perfectly fine" Kate snapped.

"You're a tad aggressive and stress isn't good for you in general. I need you to calm down not run around scaring the natives. So sit down" Jim said, the last sentencte was said in a firm tone so she took it as an order as he gestured to the guest chair opposite Taylor's desk. Kate sat down.

"You make me sound like I'm a loose cannon" Kate grumbled she looked to Guzman who was trying not to smile or laugh. "What are you sniggering like an old man about?" Kate snapped at him.

"You" Guzman told her.

"Me?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, it's not a big deal just tell Dr Wallace when you want to in six weeks and if he hears about it before then. You can explain your reasons for not telling him. I assume you're waiting until you've passed the first trimester. It's a legitimate reason to wait to tell him" Guzman offered.

"How would you know that?"

"I have a kid"

"I'm surrounded by fathers." Kate said with a sigh as she really did need to relax, Jim was right she aggressive of late but it was more than just a tad.

"Do you feel better?" Jim asked.

"No, I feel antsy and I can't help it if I feel like punching someone in the face for looking at me the wrong way. I never act on it" Kate said defensively.

"You need to do more yoga and become more zen" Jim said Kate made a face as she felt more than an three hours of yoga a day was too much for her.

"Or take up boxing so you can punch out your frustrations" Guzman suggested as he finished his work and handed it to Jim.

"I like that idea better" Kate said approving of Guzman's suggestion.

"Or go to the shooting range, I'll take you tomorrow morning" Taylor said.

"You're supposed to be on Paternity leave to be with your kids and your beautiful wife not me" Kate told him.

"If I have to hold a punching bag or shoot targets with you for a couple hours so you don't deck someone in the colony for looking sideways at you, Alicia will understand" Taylor told her.

* * *

Alicia opened her eyes from her afternoon nap to find Taylor whispering in a low voice to the twins as he gently cupped their backs with his hands. He was telling them about the colony and how he was going to teach them to fish and all the other survival requirements for if they got stranded outside the gates far from the colony. She smiled softly as it amusing and adorable as he laid out plans that wouldn't happen for years. She loved him so much in that moment for being here right now even if she was angry at him. She knew they would work through their problems she just needed time to digest everything completely.

Taylor noticed her watching and smiled over his shoulder at her. "Hey, I didn't wake you did I?" he asked.

"No, you were fine. How are they?" Alicia asked.

"The most patient listeners I've come across today" he said with a smile.

"They know your voice, it's probably very comforting for them to hear it" Alicia said.

"I'd like to believe that" Taylor said with a smile as he was glad she wasn't showing any outward signs of anger, or being passive aggressive. She was just relaxed and looking content.

"We'll work through this, I don't know how but we will" She assured him.

"I know" he said with determination. He pulled his hands from the incubator and closed the doors.

"You'll also have to get used to Evan being in our lives. I need him and he needs us, so I want you two to find common ground-"

"I don't think that's possible" Taylor said apprehensively.

"Can't you at least try for me? He's my family. Your family through marriage" she said, she had spoken with Evan in the morning as he helped her walk slowly around the infirmary as her light exercise. She had asked him to do the same thing. She wanted them to be a family it didn't have to be perfect but they had to learn to live with one another as she wanted his kids to grow up with hers.

"Ok I'll try" Taylor said with a nod. Though the last thing he wanted to be was friends with Evan but he would try at least to be civil and do a better job of it than he did at the family get together.

"Thank you" Alicia said Taylor's comm. unit beeped and pulled it out of his pocket. "What is it?"

"Just Boylan" Taylor said.

"Boylan is messaging you?" Alicia asked incredulously as they was no love lost between the men even after the Occupation.

"Yeah rumour got out Kate is pregnant, he's tracking down the source. I think I already know who it is but it's best to have evidence" He said as he pocketed the comm. "You want me to get some dinner for us while I'm having a chin wag with him? Maybe some of that lime sorbet you're so keen on?" he asked her.

"Yeah I'd like that" Alicia said, Taylor got up from his seat and leaned over her placing a tender kiss on her temple before leaving the room with a 'I'll be back in a little while'. It was the first token of affection he had bestowed on her since she had the twins, she hadn't realised how much she wanted him to give her more than in that brief moment. But then she reminded herself she was angry at him for a good reason and needed a clear head. Taylor touching or kissing her was not conducive to clear thinking.

* * *

_TBC~ Cya all in a week!_


	37. Chapter 37

_A/N: Huge Thank yous for all the reviews! I can't believe I'm one review away from 60! Amazing! Keep them coming :-D lol! I put a forewarning in my other fic that if you all keep reading I will keep writing as I like to share :-).. also I have three more fics baking in my head as we speak! fun times ahead :-D.. As always Enjoy!  
_

* * *

Two weeks passed torturously for Taylor as for the first time in years he was at a complete loss of what to do. He and Evan had come to a new agreement to give one another a clean slate and Taylor gave the man a copy of all the messages Alicia had sent him over the years as a peace offering of sorts. While they weren't best friends but they were able to hold a polite conversation without getting angry and Taylor even improved his relationship with Evan's kids. Luckily they were more forgiving on first impressions especially when Taylor brought them their favourite foods thanks to Kate's helpful suggestions.

Taylor and Jim also had the 'Kate' problem underhand as they made sure to exhaust her of any aggression she had by making sure she took said aggression out on a punching bag and otherwise keeping her on the east side of the colony away from the civilians to save her from hearing the rumours questioning the validity of her pregnancy and who the father was.

Taylor and Boylan had yet to find the source of the rumours as it seemed like one huge game of Chinese whispers in the colony. But Taylor decided to placate Kate he'd say that he and Boylan settled the matter and the person in question had been reprimanded. It didn't exactly make Kate happy but she dropped the subject. With her situation contained it left Taylor with the other more important mess of trying to patch things up with Alicia.

He had given her the messages he had kept hidden as Evan had suggested to clear up any leftover tension he was hiding more secrets. But instead of making things better it made their relationship more strained than ever before.

She was beyond angry and upset with him. She wouldn't look at him, she would only talk about the twins well being with him and anything related to them. Otherwise they sat in a stalled state as he knew Alicia wanted to beat the stuffing out of him but she didn't want to leave the twins and because she wasn't in condition to do the damage she wanted to do to him. He did however feel worse for their current state than if she had just got it out of her system instead of stewing in it.

He wasn't sure what to do to make things right. Usually when they had a fight they hashed it out and then a round of makeup sex. Somehow he didn't think it was going happen that way this time.

* * *

"On the bed" Elisabeth told Kate who made a face as she had been trying to sneak into the infirmary only for Elisabeth to catch her.

"Can't we do this later?" Kate asked knowing exactly what Elisabeth wanted to do.

"You said that for the last five days, now lie back-"

"And think of England?" Kate asked tartly but of course the idiom was lost on Elisabeth who gestured to the bed and replied.

"If it helps then yes" Elisabeth said as Kate hopped onto the bed but didn't lie back.

"I really think it can wait" Kate said but Elisabeth gave Kate her 'don't mess with me' look that made Kate lie back onto the bed.

"No, it can't or do I have to name a whole list of reasons why I should be monitoring you and you also had your chance last week when you didn't make your appointment" Elisabeth told her.

"I overslept and I swear your list makes me feel like this is some kind of crossbreeding program. Like I'm going to pop out a human version of a liger or something" Kate said as she really didn't want to have the scan, having the scans meant acknowledging hard truths like she was alone in this adventure. Something that hurt deeply as she wanted Malcolm to be there to hold her hand or at least fuss over the scans and tell her not to be a spoilsport and ask for a holographic projection of the baby but they weren't like that.

She visited him daily and while they flirted outrageously and had a lot of laughs it didn't feel the same nor did his emotions for her run as deeply as hers did for him. She didn't hold it against him as it wasn't his fault but there were days when she wished she could just kiss him senselessly but she refrained as she didn't want to push him away or freak him out. They were pretty much back in the courting stage again before they even held hands or exchanged their first kiss.

Not the stage where she felt safe to say 'Hey I'm having your baby and I love you so incredibly that it hurts to just be in the same room with you and know you don't feel the same but that aside could you come and hold my hand and just pretend you remember all our time together and how you felt about me. So I can have my slice of heaven?'. So she didn't, instead she kept her mouth shut and stuffed all her feelings into a badly constructed box that tended to leak and made crappy jokes to cover up the fact that to her being pregnant made her feel angry and miserable.

She assumed she would have some kind of moment like in the movies where pregnant women were glowing and forever happy about being miracle makers but so far she felt the complete opposite of and she didn't want the others to give her anymore pity.

"A liger?" Elisabeth asked.

"Lion cross tiger… but in this case I guess it would be a Ausmie? Pomsie?" Kate threw out a few more poor amalgamations of Aussie and Pommie before she rubbed her chest, her ribs were hurting not to mention her boobs but she wasn't about to admit it to Elisabeth.

"Your costal joints are still inflamed, I told you to take it easy" Elisabeth remarked in a chastising tone as she turned on all the scanners and setting up Kate's file.

"I am taking easy and it's this cold weather" Kate complained as her healed fractures in her ribs always ached in the cold weather thanks to her developing costochrondritis last summer from a cold.

"It's barely below 20 degrees"

"Cold enough for me. I'm a delicate flower" Kate drawled sarcastically.

"Well lie still I'm going to start a delicate scan and any major movement or fidgeting will affect the results and we'll have to start from scratch" Elisabeth said as she placed a hand on Kate's foot that she had been twirling and moving.

"Right, perfectly still"

"Yes, it'll take a few minutes so just relax and I'll be right back." Elisabeth said before leaving the curtained off bed. Kate exhaled slowly to relax and calm her rolling emotions, like she described her badly constructed box holing all her emotions was starting to leak. She knew Malcolm was in the room and it made her ache as she wanted things to be different. Tears started filling her eyes as she mentally berated herself for as she should be grateful he was awake and so far hadn't heard any of the stupid rumours.

* * *

Malcolm had heard Kate's voice talking in a low manner which made him look up from the plex he was reading to see Elisabeth push Kate by the shoulders to a bio bed. The curtain around the bed was closed and Malcolm wondered if she was alright. Curiosity getting the better of him, he placed the plex on the table and got out of bed and walked over to the opaque curtain.

He looked around and saw Elisabeth conferring with a nurse and decided he would just pop his head in and check on Kate.

She checked in on him, so logically he didn't see what the problem was reciprocating. When he opened the curtain slightly and saw Kate lying on the bed in tears as the machines were buzzing indicating a scan was in progress. He became immediately concerned as his journals said Kate never cried unless something was seriously wrong. Kate saw him and her eyes went wide as she shifted and sat up. She made a small noise of pain as more tears streamed down her face.

The machines protested the interruption making Malcolm cringe as the alarms were blaring.

"Kate, don't get up. Are you ok?" Malcolm asked as he moved to the key pad and turned off the scanners to stop the noise before moving to make her lie back down.

"I'm fine" Kate said as she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

"You're crying" Malcolm said as he didn't believe her for a moment. Elisabeth came into the curtained off room. She didn't say anything as she wanted to see how Kate would handle it, so she focussed on the Bio bed and got it set up to repeat the scans.

"I have costochrondritis, it's been acting up so Elisabeth wanted to run some scans because it's what she likes to do to make sure I haven't unknowingly broken anything" Kate half lied, as she was omitting the real purpose of the scans. It was a lie in that the scans were about her pregnancy she didn't want to think about but she wasn't lying when she told him her costochrondritis was playing up. The last couple of weeks with boxing had made it flair up chronic but she enjoyed punching the bag.

She had developed Costochrondritis during a bad cold she had in the summer of all times to be sick. She had sworn she had fractured her ribs again from coughing as she had been in a lot of pain.

"Unknowingly break something? I thought it was an inflammation of the costochondral joints, the cartilage that connects the inner end of the ribs to the sternum" Malcolm said as he kept very detailed notes on Kate and his life. Elisabeth looked at him oddly as she wondered how he knew that but couldn't remember Kate. Kate on the other hand had a ghost of a smile playing on her lips.

"How-?" Elisabeth started only for Kate to cut her off. She knew Malcolm dabbled in medical science but didn't expect him to know Kate's medical history.

"He read his personal plex apparently he's been keeping notes on me" Kate told her as she found incredibly amusing but also made her wonder if he wrote everything little detail down or just the major things.

"Unknowingly break bones?" Malcolm asked in a concerned voice.

"I spar and very rarely the other person gets in a lucky shot that puts me to the ground" Kate said with a casual smile.

"Sounds painful" he remarked though he wouldn't expect her to be in tears over a few swollen ribs unless it were incredibly painful.

"It can be" She murmured in agreement though a few chest pains paled in comparison to having your amnesiac fiancé standing at the end of your bed worried about you for all the wrong reasons. "But through mistakes we can better ourselves" she added.

"Kate, if you could lie back down and remain still I will continue?" Elisabeth said.

"Of course, sorry" Kate said as she settled down on the bed still nervous as Malcolm hovered at her side, his concern visible in his expression. It made her feel they had a good chance but right now she conflicted half of her wanted him to go and the other half wished desperately he would remember everything and she could tell him so he would freak out for a moment and then take her hand and want to know everything. It looked like neither scenario was going to play out as Malcolm stayed and moved toward Elisabeth who was running her scans.

"You aren't going to have the holographic projection?" Malcolm asked as he moved to look at the plex Elisabeth was holding to spy on the results. Kate hoped Elisabeth was scanning her ribs but what Kate didn't know was that Elisabeth hadn't anticipated Malcolm looking over her shoulder and had committed the biobed scanners to her lower body to run foetal scans.

"I find it really awkward seeing my innards flashing above me" Kate said as she watched Malcolm, he looked mildly interested in the readouts for a moment before moving to a chair nearby and taking a seat. "Still tired?" she asked him.

"Some fatigue I'm told in a few days I'll be back at work" Malcolm said he couldn't believe what he had seen on the screen and was quite amazed he had kept a good poker face on as Kate didn't seem to pick up on anything. But he could tell she was itching to get off the bed and run for hills which meant she knew she was pregnant and purposely concealing it from him.

She had to of only found out recently and he could only assume her silence was due to his memory loss and her apprehension of how he would react. He couldn't blame her for keeping it a secret but it didn't stop him from being shocked and a little angry at the current situation. This development changed everything even his approach to her would have to be changed.

"I'll never understand why everyone has such an aversion to the infirmary" Elisabeth said as she looked at her plex reading the data streaming across the screen.

"Lying around can get boring. Speaking of are we done?" Kate asked as she was itching to get away it was bad enough it was her first proper pregnancy scan where she was conscious and Malcolm was sitting beside her completely oblivious that she was pregnant or so she thought.

"Yes, we are all done. I'll let you know in half an hour what the results are of the scan but a cursory look tells me everything fine just some slight swelling of the costal joints but no breaks" Elisabeth said as she turned the bio-bed off.

"Good to know, so I can take some anti-inflammatory drugs?" Kate asked her.

"No, I've been thinking we might try an analgesic" Elisabeth said casually.

"Ok, well I don't mean to be rude but I said I'd visit Alicia before lunch so she can snooze the afternoon away. So can we finish this conversation then?" Kate asked.

"Of course" Malcolm said.

"Will we be having afternoon tea today?" Malcolm asked her.

"If you aren't sleeping I'll be there" Kate told him.

"I'll be awake" he assured her. How could he sleep knowing what he knew?

"Ok, I'll talk with you both later" Kate said as she left Malcolm and Elisabeth at the bed. Malcolm was sure he hadn't seen Kate run away so quickly.

"8 weeks" Malcolm stated to Elisabeth in an unimpressed tone as he felt Elisabeth should have told him and he had to direct his anger at someone and right now she was the closest person.

"Malcolm, not here. My office" Elisabeth said as she walked away from the bed to her office, Malcolm followed and Elisabeth closed the door.

"When was she going to tell me? When were you going to tell me?" he demanded in a low voice.

"She is waiting until she passes the first trimester" Elisabeth replied as she felt she was forever having quiet arguments in her office instead of healthy discussions.

"Oh so another four weeks" Malcolm said incredulously.

"You aren't exactly Mr 'I want a family'. You balk at knowing you were engaged to a stranger. Look you have a right to be freaked out and angry but just don't take it out on her. She is already an unmitigated mess. She won't acknowledge she's pregnant because she wants to share it with you and the fantasy that you'll support her and be excited about this"

"I won't lie, I'm not excited. I know my views changed over the years but right now at this juncture of my life I don't want kids-" he started but Elisabeth cut him off.

"Tell me you feel something for her even if it's just an attraction Malcolm because I can't handle her having a broken heart. Not after everything she's been through, so if you aren't ready to at least commit to that child walk away now. Don't string her along thinking there is hope for something more when there isn't. Don't do to her what you did to me" She told him.

"You know I remember that you were the one who walked away from me by your own volition. I didn't do anything wrong except be completely honest with you from the very start of the relationship" he told her. He turned around as if to leave and paused before turning back to her. "I didn't want to break up, you did and we parted on relatively good terms or so I believed but you know what 20 years later I don't care anymore. I care about her and well before today in finding out she is with child. So how dare you assume I still have all my hang ups and haven't changed" Malcolm told her. He had wanted to tell Elisabeth that while he didn't want kids it didn't mean he wasn't going to change his mind and warm up to reality as his life circumstances had changed.

The only reason he hadn't wanted kids was because he was living in 2145, a dying and filthy world unlike now. They were living in paradise where kids didn't need a rebreather to play outside, where one could see the stars and the moon.

"I'm looking out for my friend" Elisabeth said,

"She is my fiancé who is pregnant with my child. I'm not nor will I ever walk away from her, what I want to do is get out of the infirmary and get my life back and take care of her. Something I can't do being held up in here and let's be honest I don't need to be in here anymore. I feel perfectly fine, now tell me is she ok? Is the child ok?" Malcolm asked. Elisabeth looked surprised by his questions and interest as he sounded sincere in his concern and curiosity.

* * *

"Hey!" Kate said with a wide smile. She plastered on the smile as she really didn't want Taylor and Alicia to worry about her. They had their own problems to work through and she didn't exactly appreciate being one of their 'safe' topics as she felt like their unlucky adopted third kid with too many issues. Not that she ever said anything about it as she also felt if she was a safe topic then at least they were still talking. It was when they didn't talk was when Kate worried.

"Hey" Alicia said as Kate came in but she was too wrapped in holding little Ella in her arms as Taylor was holding Ava. He had spent most of the morning shirtless with Ava on his chest as Elisabeth encouraged Kangaroo care for both babies once Ella had come off the respirator. But since he heard Kate talking outside he had quickly don a shirt and swaddled Ava into a soft cotton blanket. As he planned to disappear once Kate was in the room.

"So beautiful" Kate said she looked down at Ava who was currently snoozing away in Taylor's arms.

"You can take this little one off me after you wash your hands" Taylor said as he knew it was better to let Alicia and Kate have their time together without him in the room. He also figured if Kate held the baby she would finally accept she was having one herself and not call her baby a 'parasite' in such an unendearing manner. Alicia had mentioned it to him as Kate was another one of their safe topics. She had said she was concerned that Kate was going to miss out on enjoying the anticipation of her first child and see it as impending doom when it was a joy.

The joy being creating new life and having a something that was a piece of you not the actual experience pregnancy as Alicia knew that concept was a bit harder sell as a joy as she had suffered. The results had been well worth it but no one gets excited about 24/7 morning sickness or the swelling of feet, sore back and muscles from the shifting and accommodating of the body for pregnancy.

"I'm good" Kate lied. She wished she could toss back half a bottle of scotch sing classic bar songs and pass out but that was not on the agenda today or the next 7 months.

"I have to go and check on Jim, so wash up" he told her firmly so she knew he was not taking 'no' for an answer. Kate pursed her lips and washed up and a few moments later Taylor handed over Ava to her. The baby made some noises in complaint of the movement but as Kate took the small baby that was swaddled up in a soft cotton blanket into her arms, Ava settled down and went back to sleep. He watched for a moment wondering if it had been a bad idea as Kate looked like she was trying not to break down into tears as she held the baby with natural ease.

"You're a natural" Taylor said, Kate looked up at him with a strained smile.

"Just practiced" Kate said as she felt incredibly overwhelmed, looking at the baby in her arms, feeling how light and small she was. It made her think about her baby that was practically nonexistent and how he or she would feel like to hold in her arms. She knew Taylor was forcing her to think about it by making her hold the baby girl. A part of her hated him for making him think about something she didn't want to as it reminded her of current situation. But the she had to remember that they were sharing their family with her as they felt she was theirs. She welcomed the level of trust they had in allowing her to hold one of their children at such a fragile stage.

"Well I'll leave you ladies and be back around lunch time, I'll bring lunch for three" he said.

"Ok we'll see you then" Kate said to Taylor. He left the room closing the door behind him as she moved to the nearby chair and sat down with Ava in her arms. She was sleeping peacefully in her arms just shifting or making small twitches of her tiny face as though she were dreaming.

"Are you ok?" Alicia asked as Kate was completely transfixed with Ava in her arms. Alicia could see Kate was clearly upset from holding Ava but trying desperately to keep herself contained. She didn't want Kate to keep holding Ava if it upset her so much.

"Yeah" Kate said nodding and then a second later she shook her head as she readjusted her arms to get more comfortable with Ava. "I had my first scan"

"How did it go?"

"I don't know Malcolm interrupted and so I had to half lie about what I was doing there. I wanted him to be there just not like he was today. How am I supposed to deal with this?" Kate asked in a soft voice.

"Kate maybe you should just tell him. Be upfront with Malcolm and just acknowledge that this is real. Very real. You are going to have one of these in 7 months. Things need to be bought and organised" Alicia said as she even lifted Ella slightly to emphasise her point. The little baby complained at the movement with the tiniest and cutest noises before Alicia resettled her.

"I know" Kate said in a low and hurt voice.

"But it can't be you alone Malcolm needs to have a say in it. He's the father and you two are getting along-"

"But if he knows I'm pregnant he'll be with me out of obligation not because he truly feels something for me besides sexual attraction cause seriously who doesn't want a piece of this?" Kate asked in a humorous tone. It was one of coping mechanisms and it helped to laugh when one didn't feel like it.

"Well there was a couple a seconds before the wedding where I considered running away with you" Alicia said before she and Kate chuckled. "But I'm being serious, you should tell him. Today" Alicia said seriously.

"Why today?"

"So he knows why you're all twisted up in knots. So he doesn't think it's his fault"

"But it is partially his fault" Kate countered petulantly. Alicia chuckled as she knew Kate was being serious.

"It's causing you unnecessary stress and wouldn't you rather know if he bugged out now than 2 weeks from now. He'll need time to process. I think it's only fair" Alicia said.

* * *

"I spoke with Elisabeth and she says I could be released from the infirmary tomorrow" Malcolm said carefully as he gauged Kate's reaction as she took a sip of her tea.

"She didn't say anything to me" Kate said.

"I was hoping you'd allow me to go home with you" he said as he placed his own cup onto the table that was over his legs. Them having tea together was his favourite part of the afternoon.

"Sure, it's your house too and just remember I- we have guests at the moment" Kate said quickly adjusting her pronouns to include him.

"Alicia's brother and kids" he said they had talked about them before.

"Yes, their house is being built next door. They'll be with us for another two weeks as their house isn't finished yet" Kate said she had talked about the kids and Evan to Malcolm before. So he wasn't completely caught off guard with the news.

"Doesn't worry me" he said with a smile. He won't admit he didn't like his fiance sharing his house with another man and his children but Malcolm knew she only had eyes for him and she was loyal by nature she would never betray him.

"You say that but the house can get very noisy with the kids." Kate said.

"I look forward to some noise and liveliness. It's rather boring in here" he said gesturing to the infirmary which was a quiet and peaceful place most of the time unless someone came in with a mess of injuries and in agony.

"I can understand that. I'll pick you up in the morning and we'll go together" Kate said with a smile.

* * *

"Ok here we are" Kate said the next morning as she opened the door to their house and waved Malcolm in to the noise of giggling children and music. He saw a little girl with red hair running around the large open plan living space with the kitchen to his left with a large island bar, dining table and then the lounge area. A tall man about 6 ft with dark brown hair chased the little girl and a boy no more than five years old was in on the chase as they jumped over furniture and ran around.

Kate closed the door behind Malcolm and stood next to him. "Oh the serenity" Kate said in a mockingly serene voice to Malcolm. He looked at her bemused before she whistled getting the other's attention.

"Hey, no running in the house. One of you is going to fall over and kill yourself and I'm not cleaning up that mess" Kate told them, Evan laughed as he picked up his son like a bag of potatoes and walked over to the slightly shell shocked Malcolm who was not anticipating the scene.

"Hi, Evan Washington" Evan said as he held out a hand to Malcolm.

"Malcolm Wallace" Malcolm said as he sized Evan up taking in the man's devastatingly handsome features and lean physique he was the kind of man who could star as a male lead in a romantic movie. He even shook Malcolm's hand with the right amount of pressure. Could the man give Malcolm anything more to dislike about him in the first 5 seconds of meeting him.

"I've heard so much about you" Evan said as Kate picked up Olivia watching the two men slightly amused.

"Same. So these are your kids?" Malcolm asked making conversation. Evan nodded.

"Yeah, this one is Sean and that monster in Kate's arms is Olivia" Evan said as he held Sean upside down by his feet so the kid could pretend to do a hand stand without assistance. Malcolm nodded as he looked to Kate and Olivia he paused slightly caught in a tiny fantasy he never imagined having as the two were so similar in hair colouring and complexion that if one didn't look too closely they could mistake them for mother and daughter. It was almost a preview of what the future had in store.

"Say hi to your Uncle Malcolm" Kate said with a smile to Olivia. The little girl gave a small smile and shyly waved her hand at him and murmured a tiny 'hi'. It was so adorable that Malcolm who normally didn't like kids broke into a smile. Kate chuckled as Olivia quickly ducked her face into her neck. "She's shy but once she gets used to seeing you around, she'll be more social." Kate said as she placed the reluctant Olivia back on her feet. The little girl moved to hide behind Evan's legs but still peeping around them to look at Malcolm.

"Let's give you the tour." Kate said to Malcolm.

"On that note, we'll leave you guys as Sean and Olivia have a play date to get to" Evan said as he had put Sean on his feet again.

"Ok, are we good for dinner?" Kate asked Evan, Malcolm felt like a third wheel as the two conversed about dinner.

"Yeah, we are but I'll get some more sorbet as we are running low on that but I'll grab it on our way back. The house is yours." Evan said waving to Sean back to him and grabbed Olivia's hand. They came running to their father and within seconds they vacated the house.

Kate looked to Malcolm as he placed the duffel bag on the floor. "The tour?" he asked.

"Yes, this is main living area obviously… Kitchen, dining table and living room that leads out to the back veranda" Kate said as she gestured to the closed window backdoors that backed onto a nice backyard. Malcolm moved to the back door and looked out the back at the garden that didn't look very old as the plants were still young.

"It's lovely"

"Your design" She told him before they turned around and faced the interior. "Main bedroom and three other bedrooms, main bathroom with a bath tub and second bathroom has a shower both with commodes"

"We were planning on a big family?"

"There were some arguments but you didn't write this down in your journal?" she asked innocently.

"Perhaps we should forget I mentioned the journal so I can get away with asking the stupid questions and make conversation" he said feeling his neck go red from embarrassment, she really didn't forget anything.

"Ok, we couldn't decide but I grew up in a large family and sharing one bathroom with more than four people can get a bit annoying and I wanted a bath tub" Kate said.

"Right" Malcolm said as he followed her to the third bedroom, she opened the door and stood to the side.

"So this is where you'll be sleeping" She told him.

"This is the main bedroom?" he asked confused thinking it was small for a master room.

"No" Kate told him.

"I'd prefer to sleep with you" he said it was Kate's turn to blush as she looked stunned by his line of thoughts.

"Really? I figured you'd be more comfortable not sleeping with me" Kate said.

"I'm sure we'd have no problems sharing a bed, we've done it before even if I don't remember it" he said with a sly smile.

"Ok, this way" Kate said, Malcolm picked up his duffel off the floor before he followed her to the one room on the opposite side of the house away from the three bedrooms. She slid open the door and Malcolm walked into the large bedroom with the inbuilt wardrobe and a double bed, a couple of dressers and bed side furniture. The walls were painted a soft dark blue it gave the room a relaxing feel and made the wooden floors and trimming rich and beautiful.

"I assume you picked all the colours?" he asked as there wasn't one room with white walls, it was all colours and wooden trimming and floorboards except the bathrooms where there were white tiles. He knew he'd never have the creativity or desire to pick out more than one colour.

"Yes, you don't like it?" She asked, she didn't sound afraid if anything he was sure she was going to tell him to take a flying leap if he said he wanted to change it. Not that he wanted to.

"No, I love it. All the places I have lived in were always white walls or taupe. You know traditional colours. This is much better" He told her as he snooped around the closet and the drawers finding his. He didn't miss the draw with vitamin bottles which he assumed were prenatal vitamins.

He wondered how long she would hide her pregnancy from him if they were sleeping in the same bed. She wouldn't be able to hide all the changes. He wanted to fast track their intimacy not sex but the intimacy of their relationship as a couple. If he was sleeping across the house from her they would end up in a stall pattern keeping their distance from one another. He figured if they shared the same bed then she would fall back into her old patterns of being with him and he could reform the old ones again.

"I'm glad because I hate white walls, it reminds me of hospitals" Kate said making a face.

"Mmm so what do you want to do now?" Malcolm asked as he sat down on the bed next to her.

"Up to you" Kate said.

"You don't have work?" he asked purposely moving into her personal space.

"No, it's my day off so I'm all yours" Kate said looking at him.

"What do we normally do in our spare time together?" Malcolm asked her, Kate quirked an eyebrow at him and smiled knowingly. "Besides that, though if you want to I'm not averse to indulging you" he said cheekily.

"How generous but I thought you wanted to take things slowly" she replied playfully.

"I do but there is one thing" he drawled.

"What?" Kate asked she shied away briefly as he brought his hands up to cup her face but soon relaxed as she knew exactly what he was going to do. Her heart ramped and she licked her lips in anticipation as Malcolm slowly lowered his lips to hers.

The first kiss was gentle like he was testing the waters but Kate soon took over and deepened the kiss. She had missed the feel of his lips on hers, the taste of him that she was probably coming off like a sex starved woman but she didn't care as she needed him, she needed the connection and pleasure only he could give her.


	38. Chapter 38

"I wonder how Kate and Malcolm are doing" Taylor said making conversation as he and Alicia had been sitting in silence for the past two hours just holding and bonding with the twins. He was lying in the bed next to her with his shirt open and Ella lying on his bare chest sleeping peacefully not even disturbed by Taylor talking.

"I'm sure they are politely drinking tea and talking about the weather while Kate mentally freaks out about how she is going to tell about him about the baby. She only has 4 weeks and it will go quickly" Alicia said in a soft and light tone as if she were happy and talking about rainbows and puppy dogs. But Taylor knew her well enough to know if they had this conversation without the twins in the room she would have said it sarcastically.

She was lightly stroking Ava's back as she looked down at the baby. She was tolerating his presence for the twins. He had given her a plex of all the messages with video logs Evan had sent her over the years. Proof he had interfered not only with her relationship with her brother the one time but with her mail consistently over the years just to keep her and her brother apart. She just couldn't reconcile with the pain of betrayal and how much control Taylor had over her. He controlled her at work. Yes, it was a given he was her commanding officer but when they were off duty he always claimed she was his equal but really he had been still pulling the strings. Just like he pulled the strings to get her on the expedition to Terra Nova as he had refused to train a new XO when the Generals didn't approve of her. How he pulled strings to keep her in his unit for years never letting her go. At the time she didn't want to leave but in his keeping her close she wondered what opportunity she had missed out on.

But didn't dwell on it for too long as she had seen and done more things than most people did in one lifetime and then she came to Terra Nova where she was able to have dreams she never thought she'd ever get to have like children.

She just wished their father could have been the man she believed him to be. She didn't expect him to be perfect and never make mistakes but this mistake was one of the worst he could make. She wasn't sure how she was going to forgive him as the more messages and video logs she watched and read from her brother from years ago the angrier she got at Taylor and more upset she became at all the things she was catching up on. She had only gotten one quarter of the way through the messages when she had to stop because she wanted to scream and break something as murder was out of the question.

"Doc Shannon said the twins are looking good and in four weeks the twins will be ready to come home" Taylor said.

"Yes I know, is everything ready?" She asked.

"All ready to go, I'll make sure the fridge is stocked before you come home that way you and I don't have to worry about anything but these two peanuts" Taylor said with a smile.

"We should put a do not disturb sign on the door cause I don't want to share these two with anyone but our closest friends and family" Alicia murmured.

* * *

Malcolm was thoroughly amazed and thoroughly consumed by the woman in his arms, the kiss had started off innocent enough but something had set Kate off like fireworks as she attacked him. Not that he was going to complain as she kissed him with such passion, he responded in kind as it was hard to be passive with her as his body responded to her. Just like his journal describe but better, he let her set the pace and how far she wanted to go as he didn't want her to stop because he pushed her too far.

So there they were making out like a couple of crazy teenagers as she straddled his lap, their clothing the only barrier between them. Not that it stopped him from running his hands under tank top and enjoying the feel of her soft skin of her back and flanks. She pulled back from the kiss and they were completely breathless. He smiled at her noting her normally light grey eyes were dark and stormy as she looked ready to devour him.

"Sorry" She said breathlessly, she tried to move but Malcolm held onto her hips keeping her in place.

"Don't apologise and definitely don't move. I'm not ready to let you go" He said though he was planning on never letting her go.

"I can't do this you barely know me and I'm in so deep emotionally. I can't separate sex from my emotions and I'm not willing to be a notch in your belt" She told him frankly even though she desperately wanted to make that notch. Malcolm took her words seriously as he saw how conflicted she was. He cupped her face with both hands to make her look at him as she looked ready to cry.

"I guess you wouldn't believe me if I said I am in this for the long haul right now would you?" he asked in all seriousness, Kate felt her heart skip a beat as she saw her Malcolm looking back at her.

Tears burned her eyes as she had to stop herself from blurting out 'I'm pregnant' even though she was apprehensive to tell him she wanted him to make declarations like he just had without the pressure of an obligation such as a child. Even though Alicia told her to tell him, she couldn't do it.

"Tell me what I have to do to convince you I'm here to stay for good and I will do it. Anything" he told her. Malcolm watched the words sink in and saw everything she was feeling emotionally run through her eyes. For a woman he couldn't remember and only spent the last two weeks getting to know again he found himself remarkably comfortable with her deep emotions, it had been a long time since anyone had looked at him in such a way. He didn't want to give it up and now he had everything he needed to keep her to himself.

"Tell me this again when you aren't so aroused. That would make for a good start" Kate said.

"That's going to be hard. No pun intended of course" he said with smirk which made Kate laughed she dropped her head onto his shoulder burying her face in his neck as he wrapped his arms around her. They lapsed into a pleasant silence as they enjoyed the quiet and just being in each other's presence.

"I missed you and this" Kate mumbled into his neck. He rubbed her back in slow comforting motion as the moment for sex had truly passed but it replaced by the intimacy he wanted. He wanted to be there for her and even if it felt a little foreign hearing her talk about him like he had gone somewhere. "Sorry it musn't make you feel comfortable me talking like this" she said trying to back track but he held her in place.

"Stop apologising" he told her.

"Would it help if I admitted that I don't apologise for much? so you better take them where you can" Kate told him.

"I know this is not going to be easy but you don't have to monitor your speech with me. You can say whatever you want to me or do whatever you want" he offered, Kate playfully punched him in the chest.

"You're such a horn dog!" she told him.

"You started it" he said disavowing himself of all responsibility.

"No, you started it" She said with a sigh. They lapsed into another silence and stayed that way for a long time until Malcolm felt Kate slowly getting heavier in his arms.

"You falling asleep?" he asked her.

"No" Kate mumbled as she had dozed off but was not going to admit she used a big portion of her daily energy in pouncing him.

"Why don't I make us some tea?" Malcolm offered, he smiled as Kate nodded and sluggishly pulled herself out of his lap and stretched out on the bed beside him. He could see she was going to fall asleep in minutes.

"I'll follow you in a minute" she said.

"Ok" he said as he stood up and looked at her one last time before heading to the kitchen. It took a good ten minutes to find everything need but once he put the kettle on he went to check on Kate. True to his unsaid suspicions she was fast asleep. He walked up to her and carefully lifted her feet pulling off her shoes before he moved her under the blankets so she wouldn't get cold.

* * *

Evan opened the door holding a sleeping Olivia, Sean was chattering non stop about a school and how he'd be starting next week.

"You think Kate will let me take the monkey for show and tell?" Sean asked him.

"I don't know you'll have to ask her" Evan said as he noted Malcolm sitting at the dining table reading his plex and drinking a cup of tea. "Hey" he said, Malcolm looked up and gave a smile.

"Afternoon" Malcolm said as he watched Sean go over to the tree where the monkey was currently sleeping.

"Where's Kate?" Evan asked.

"Sleeping, I'm pretty sure she was sleeping through lunch" Malcolm saidwith a wry smile as he recalled the meal. she held a conversation and didn't choke on her food but she wasn't entirely there as she had a slightly glazed over look in her eyes.

"She does that a lot" Evan remarked as he placed the sleeping Olivia on the lounge before he moved to the kitchen to make himself a coffee. "Last week I could have sworn she was sleeping with her eyes open at the dinner table" Evan said with a chuckle.

"So you don't know?" Malcolm asked Evan.

"Know what?"

"She's pregnant" Malcolm said Evan laughed.

"Yeah I heard the rumours but I don't put much stock in it" Evan said before he became serious in his demeanour "Look, my father told me you should touch another man's woman as often as you should touch another man's rebreather. I need you to know this because this colony can be pretty vicious about Kate and I don't want you to misconstrue anything. Kate and I are like family I have no sexual interest in her whatsoever" Evan told him.

"Ok" Malcolm said mildly amused. He had to wonder what people were saying for Evan to state very clearly he wasn't interested in Kate. But also glad he didn't have to worry about competition.

"Anyway as you are the CSO when will you be coming back to work? because I need some bench space and to talk to you about the terminus and requesting supplies" Evan said.

"Tomorrow, I'm up to date on everything" Malcolm said.

"In only two weeks" Evan said sounding impressed.

"I wasn't given the position of Chief Science Officer for nothing" Malcolm said.

"Right, do I get any brownie points by giving you a warning about certain crazy people who work for you?" Evan asked.

"Possibly" Malcolm said carefully as he didn't like to show favouritism with his colleagues. Elisabeth was possibly the only exception but frankly the way she tore into him yesterday put her firmly into the same pile as everyone else.

"Dr Haynes, the woman is a crazy about you. I tried to get the terminus set up in the newly restored secondary labs and she threw fit saying ' Dr Wallace wouldn't approve of this' and 'you can't just move into his work station' which by the way is not clearly marked as yours."

"I don't believe I have designated work station there as I have a lab and office in the main research labs" Malcolm said but he made a mental note to keep an eye out for Dr Haynes she already had a bad track record with him. "I'll get you the space you need. Commander Taylor told me the importance of your work" Malcolm assured him.

"It would be appreciated" Evan said.

* * *

Malcolm walked back into his office a week later with cage in hand. After Kate, Evan and the kids left Malcolm had returned with a tranquilizer gun and cage. It hadn't been an easy feat but Malcolm managed. He knew Kate was not going to be happy but he wasn't comfortable with having the tiny primate in the house considering all the 'adventures' the monkey had when it wasn't attached to Kate's arm. He didn't want to risk Kate catching any diseases from the monkey and it harming their unborn child.

Their relationship was an odd balance of past and brand new. Brand new for him but for her he knew it had to feel like she was repeating history but she was taking things slowly. He of course didn't push her as it was she who was uncomfortable. He wondered if it was her keeping the secret of her pregnancy or she was afraid of making the wrong move. She was forever apologising for touching him or giving him perfunctory kisses out of habit or holding his hand simple things that he would tell her was completely fine. He'd rather she just attacked him like she did the first time they were alone in their room.

Hence he decided it was time he took a more active role. So far he had been passive just observing and trying not to rock the boat too much as Kate was looking stressed out as it was. But he could no longer sit back, he was going to tell her he knew without revealing his true sources. Then they would sit down and have a proper talk. It was just hard to do all of that when there was Evan and his kids in the house. They couldn't do anything the normal way. If there was one he would assume that he and Kate would have intimate dinners and long talks not with another man and two young kids in the room.

Either way all he had to do was sit back and wait for Kate to come to him in a huff and go from there. He picked up his plex and got to the gigabytes of plex work he had to get through before end of month came round.

* * *

"Tell me you and Taylor have kissed and made up" Kate said as she was sitting cross legged on the double bed holding Ava in her arms next to Alicia who had placed Ella on the bed in front of Kate.

"Only when you tell Malcolm you're pregnant" Alicia said as she played with Ella's feet for her own amusement as ella had no clue what was going on.

"I can't" Kate said.

"You have to, you're changing" Alicia said looking at Kate.

"No I'm not" Kate said defensively.

"Your breasts are bigger and your veins are like a subway map not to mention you're curvier" Alicia said. Kate was wearing her forest green wide leg yoga pants, a grey tank top and matching drape cardigan. Her decolletage was in plain view which normally was pale white skin with a couple of freckles now had many visible blue veins criss crossing as her body was pumping it's blood accomodating for the unborn child.

"You can always see my veins and no comment about the boobs or my ass. It was bound to happen" Kate said.

"You're have a junkie's dream body. Anyway I bet you'll be showing in another week and he will know. It's not like it's a secret, the rumours are flying he has to have heard them. I bet you he is already trying to confirm it. He is a scientist, the way he studies everything you don't think he's going to put all the evidence at hand together and figure it out" Alicia told her.

"My boobs are that noticably bigger and as far as I know Malcolm isn't measuring me in my sleep" Kate commented.

"He's taking hand measurments. I'd do it and tell me you don't feel him up in your sleep" Alicia dared her, Kate pursed her lips and her cheeks went a tell tale pink as she and Malcolm managed to start on separate sides of the bed and she'd wake up in his arms or lying on top of him.

"It's not the point. I'll tell him when I'm ready. What are you and Taylor going to do?" Kate said changing the topic.

"I'll forgive him when I'm ready but right now I'm just beyond angry and he just thinks the requisite apology is enough and I should just get over it" Alicia said exasperated.

"For the sake of the twins?" Kate asked as she was just guessing he would pull out the cliche line.

"Yeah they have barely been in the world for a fortnight and he's using them as weapon against me" Alicia said heatedly.

"I don't think it's like that" Kate said.

"You think I'm being 'overly sensitive' as well?" Alicia asked tartly she couldn't help but be annoyed.

"No, I think he's using the only middle ground you both have at the moment. I also think that you are an emotional rollercoaster yourself but I can tell you that because I'm no better." Kate said said diplomatically.

"You aren't?" Alicia asked sceptically as Kate had more sef control than anyone Alicia knew.

"I have these moments when I'm over this side of the colony and I spot Haynes in the crowd. My hand itches to unholster my weapon" Kate told her, Alicia laughed. "I'm being serious! I caught her flirting with Malcolm. She was lucky I wasn't carrying my gun" Kate said.

"Really?"

"Yes, 'Oh hi Dr Wallace I'm sure you don't recall me but I am Dr Emily Haynes. I look forward to you reacquainting yourself with my work'" Kate said in a Marilyn Monroe flirty voice, she even fluttered her eyes at Alicia who was laughing hysterically at Kate's impressions. Kate pulled a face of disgust. "I'd like to acquaint my fist with her face. I think little Ava is hungry" she said before looking down at Ava who was fussing in her arms.

"I fed her an hour ago" Alicia complained, she didn't mind she just felt like she had already flashed Kate enough for one day since Kate had spent most of the afternoon with them.

"Oh no this bar isn't open for you kiddo" Kate told Ava as the baby turned her head to Kate's chest and grappling her. Alicia chuckled as Kate handed the fussy Ava back to her. Taylor opened the door and came into the room with a smile as he saw Ella lying on the double bed with Alicia taking care of Ava. He did enjoy the family moments.

"Hey Taylor" Kate said as she was sitting on the bed with her legs folded under her as Ella was taking the leg room in front of her.

"Kate, you're looking-"

"Haggard?" Kate supplied.

"I was going to say healthy, well rested" he said correcting her.

"Mmm I'm pretty sure the pregnancy glow comes from all the chundering and sweat from that" Kate said sceptically as she felt like the opposite of healthy.

"Bitch" Alicia said with a shake of her head which made Kate laugh.

"Do you really want me chundering around the colony?" Kate asked.

"No, I don't but I'd like you to just suffer a little nausea. It's only fair" Alicia told her.

"I'm really tired, extremely emotional and I have costochrondritis not to mention all the other aches and pains I think I'm suffering enough" Kate told Alicia.

"Fine" Alicia said in good humour.

"So, you lovely people I'm going to leave you and go peel Haynes off Malcolm" Kate said she had barely moved her legs when Taylor spoke.

"You know she'd back off if you and Malcolm announced your pregnancy and upcoming nuptials" Taylor said Kate made a face.

"I doubt that" Kate said.

"You have to tell him" Taylor said a common phrase Alicia and Taylor kept telling Kate.

"I know but I'm not going to force him into marrying me" Kate said.

"I will" he countered.

"What?!" Kate asked chuckling as she thought Taylor was joking but she soon stopped when she saw he was serious. "No you won't"

"I will, he has to take responsibility of you and his child" Taylor said seriously.

"But that doesn't mean we have to be married" Kate told him icredulously as she sat back and folded her arms.

"Yes it does. If you don't I'll be condemned for setting a bad example to the colony for allowing it. Not to mention the legality issues of two unmarried parents of a child. You two were going to get married anyway what's the problem?" Taylor asked as he sat down in a chair by the bed, he could see he was fighting a losing battle but he had to put it out there.

"Oh I don't know, maybe the fact he's only gotten to know me for short while. We already have enough pressure on us to make it work I can't just slam him with a 'hey I'm having your kid and now we have to get married otherwise the commander's approval rating will go down' speech" Kate told him her ire clearly directed at him, luckily he was used to being in the firing line.

"She has a point and you knocked up well before you were planning on marrying me" Alicia said finally putting in her two cents. They had their own problems that Taylor didn't need to fstick his nose into their friend's problems.

"That's different" Taylor said.

"Same problem different obstacles. Let Kate and Malcolm sort themselves out. If people are going to be so backward about it then let them be" Alicia told Taylor as she shifted the suckling Ava in her arms. Breastfeeding was still a foriegn activity to her but she was starting to get used to it. Luckily Ava was the easiest of the two girls to feed while Ella took a little more prompting she was definitely the problem child in that regard.

"I set up the rules" Taylor said.

"Rules you didn't follow yourself but hey it's always ok for you to break the rules and codes of conduct as long as it suits your purposes and long term goals" Alicia said passive aggressively.

"Ok that sounded off topic and I feel a little awkward I should go" Kate said as she decided it was definitely time to leave the room.

"Stay Kate" Alicia snapped.

"Okay" Kate said as she sat back uncomfortably. She decided it was probably best to pick up Ella so she could pretend she wasn't in the room.

"So you going to give her the standard apology and tell her to get over it when 10 years down the track her life is something completely unrecognisable all because you forced her into what you thought was the right direction?" Alicia asked him in a calm yet still passive aggressive tone.

"Is that how you feel? That because I altered one relationship of yours it irrevocably altered your future for the worst, into something unrecognisable to you?" Taylor asked in a calm tone as if he were trying to understand her but equally amazed at how aggressive she could be while gently holding one of their children.

"Ella this is so not a conversation you or I should be listening to aye, don't your agree?" Kate asked Ella as she knew Taylor and Alicia were in their own world.

"No, I'm not saying what we have is bad but you know how much of mess I was after Ellyas. You knew how months of lying and being lied to twisted me into an ugly individual. It was the whole reason I joined your unit. You promised me we'd never lie to one another about anything. One rule that was it and you broke it and not even a minor infraction" Alicia said.

"I said I was sorry" Taylor told her.

"Yeah but you don't even mean it. You're just sorry I now know how you played me and now finally answering for it. You always take me for granted" Alicia told him. It was right at that moment his comm. decided to beep, Guzman's voice could be heard calling for Taylor.

"Go ahead answer it, your colony needs you. You know what save yourself some time and just take outside and go put out whatever fire has been started. It's not like I'm going anywhere" Alicia told him she wasn't even shocked that he hadn't turned off his comm. The man was so predictable.

Taylor pulled the comm. out of his pocket and did exactly as she said as he knew she would never listen to reason in her current state. He just didn't want to argue with her all the time either.

Taylor left the room and Alicia's mouth set into a firm line as she shook her head. Of course he'd take precedence with the colony over her. She was always third in his life and always would be but for one moment she wished he'd put her first. Prove her wrong. Have his comm. unit turned off let Guzman defer to Jim for advice or whatever he needed.

"You really feel he takes you for granted?" Kate asked her, Alicia had forgotten she had told Kate to stay put.

"I don't know sometimes I feel like I'm just an item on his 'to do' list" Alicia said, she looked at Kate noticing she had Ella in her arms, the red head was smiling "Pardon the pun" Alicia added.

"Of course" Kate said.

"But I just feel like he doesn't feel like he has to treat me as if I'm any different from anyone else. I don't feel special and you know it doesn't help when he won't turn his comm. unit off to come into the room. I allowed him to take me for granted. I allowed him to control my life" Alicia said in a dejected tone. She just felt at a loss as to how she truly felt.

"These are some pretty giant leaps" Kate said as she adjusted Ella so the baby was lying on her chest.

"Oh and you don't think Taylor doesn't control you?" Alicia asked her.

"I know to a certain level he does but that's who he is. He can't sit back and let things play out, he has to get right in the thick of it-"

"Shouldn't you be annoying Malcolm?" Alicia asked as she cut Kate off as she no longer wanted to talk about Taylor.

"Nah screw it. I'm comfortable and you ordered me to stay" Kate reminded her with a smug smile.

* * *

"He-Whoa what's going on here?" Kate asked a couple of hours later. She had left peacefully sleeping Alicia, Ava and Ella in search of Malcolm as it was nearly home time but when she walked into his office the first thing she noticed was the monkey in a cage on Malcolm's desk. The little guy was jumping up and down making little squeals at seeing her as if begging to be released.

"I'm keeping him in the labs" Malcolm remarked as he looked up briefly and smiled at her before ticking off something on his plex. He knew she was talking about the Monkey as it had been quiet all day until she walked in.

"I can see that but why?" Kate asked folding her arms.

"Because Monkeys are carriers for many diseases and you allow him free reign who knows where he goes when he's not attached to your arm and what he eats. I'm not taking the risk" he said as he approved of supply requisition orders on his plex.

"Risk of what? I feel fine and have no diseases" Kate told him, Malcolm placed his plex on the table and got up from his desk. He circled around it to stand in front of her. He placed his hands on her upper arms.

"Yes, but you are pregnant" he said in a calm and knowing fashion. It took Kate a couple of moments to realise what he said. "As such I want to keep you and our future child safe. Which means the Monkey stays in the cage" He told her.

"Who told you?" she asked.

"Besides everyone congratulating me?There are your lovely attributes that have increased, your excessive fatigue. I was curious so I looked into your medical file as I was concerned for your health" Malcolm told her.

"You hacked my medical file?" she asked in disbelief.

"No I didn't need to 'hack' I have full access. Being Chief Science Officer has it's perks" he said.

"That's a violation of my privacy" she said not angrily just surprised and oddly amused.

"It is but it's only fair considering you know all my medical history don't you think?" he asked.

"I was going to tell you" she said feeling bad for keeping the secret from him.

"I assume in 3 weeks" he said looking disappointed at the knowledge.

"Yes… wait how did you spin that around so I feel like the bad guy?" Kate asked him.

"It wasn't my intention if that helps?" he said as he cupped her face with one hand so she couldn't avoid looking at him.

"No but are you ok with this?" she asked him searching his face for a whisper of disapproval or sign that said he didn't want this but was willing to pretend but saw nothing of the sought.

"You being pregnant or you feeling like the bad guy?" he asked purposefully being obtuse.

"Being pregnant you ass" Kate snapped as she playfully punched him in the arm.

"Of course I'm fine with it but we do have a lot to discuss and plan" he told her, Kate felt her heart stop for a moment as he wasn't fleeing from her but in fact looked happy and content. These were not the reactions she was expecting as it shocked her.

"We do?" Kate asked as she was still shocked by the turn of events. "What?" she asked he was looking way to amused as he watched her.

"You're looking like I'm the one who told you that you're pregnant for the very first time not the other way round and I'd like it if we schedule a proper doctor's appointment where we can see the baby and hear the heartbeat" Malcolm said to her with keen interest.

"Really?" Kate asked.

"Yes" he said as he chuckled at her stunned behaviour.

"Ok" Kate said as a warmth bloomed inside her and she felt happy, truly happy for the first time since coming back from 2150.

"Do you want to sit down?" he asked her, she shook her head and before he could ask her what she wanted she pulled the front of his shirt and brought his lips to hers and kissed him in a thoroughly indecent and intense kiss Malcolm had shared with her to date.

A moment too soon and Kate broke the kiss, Malcolm felt punch drunk as he held her flush against his body. "We need to go home" She told him in a breathless voice. "Now" she added firmly as she wanted to go home and have her merry way with him before Evan and the kids got home.

"I won't argue" he said as he took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers and letting her lead the way.

* * *

_TBC~Cya all in a few days :-)_


	39. Chapter 39

_A/N: Sorry for late update.. I got sucked into the tumblr world... lol Thank you for the reviews! Please Enjoy!_

* * *

"Wow" Malcolm said as Kate gave a breathy laugh. She laid on her stomach on top of him. Both of them completely naked, spent and slick with sweat.

"Better than what you read in your journal?" Kate teased as she lifted her head and smiled down at Malcolm. She was too tired to move but also didn't want to. He smiled as he lifted up slightly and gave her a lazy kiss.

"You definitely did not disappoint. I hope I was up to scratch" He said after he broke the kiss. Kate smiled a very satisfied smile.

"Oh yeah, I so needed this" Kate said as she dropped her head on his shoulder. In Kate's opinion it was much better pass time than boxing as the sex had mellowed her into a peaceful state she hadn't felt in a long while.

"I'm glad I could provide" he said cheekily, Kate turned her head and nipped his collar bone with her teeth for his cheekiness. "We should really talk about what we're going to do" he said.

"I can think of many things I'd like do" She said in a salacious tone, her hormones may hace evened out and for the first time but that didn't mean she didn't want more. It was like having a piece of chocolate a person couldn't just stop after one square they had to have two or a whole row.

"I'm serious" he countered as he ran his hands slowly up and down the smooth skin of her back in a slow massage as their bodies cooled.

"So am I" She said, he could hear her smile. "What's on your mind?" she added.

"Us, do you want to get married before the baby comes?" he asked, Kate's head swooned as he really didn't just slide into conversation topics smoothly.

"Is that a proposal or just asking my opinion on the topic?" Kate asked.

"Your opinion. It seems redundant to ask my fiancé of she wants to get married to me again" he said. Kate chuckled as he was right.

"I do but I would like to wait until after the kid is born. I think it will give you more time to get to know me and know that you want to be with me not for just the kid's sake. I don't want to tie you down and I would never deny you your child but if you realise 6 months from now you don't want me as-"

"I want you both and no 'buts' or anything. If the sex is anything to go by we'll be great" he said cutting her off.

"A relationship isn't just great sex" Kate told him.

"I know and I also appreciate your position but I know what I want and it won't change" he told her.

"Well I still want to wait. I don't want out kid thinking we had a shotgun wedding because I'm pregnant it should be because we love one another" Kate said as she spoke into his neck.

"Ok well hopefully by then Evan and his kids will have moved out and we'll be able to have our honeymoon" he said as his fingers slowly traced imaginary pictures on her back.

"Oh yeah totally sexy between breastfeeding, changing dirty diapers and foreplay what a honeymoon" Kate said in a joking manner.

"We'll figure it out" he said with a smile.

"I don't want to know the sex of the baby. I want it to be a surprise" Kate said with a sigh as she was slowly falling asleep.

"Really?" he asked he could tell she was slowly drifting off to sleep.

"Mmhmm" she murmured.

"Ok, we'll also need to start looking at what to get for the baby and ready the nursery and child proof the house" he told her.

"Isn't early to locking things up and covering sharp corners etc?" Kate asked with a sleepy chuckle.

* * *

"You know, I think you two can take these girls home tomorrow" Elisabeth said a few days later to Alicia and Taylor in the private room of the infirmary.

"Tomorrow?" Alicia asked surprised and inwardly freaking out taking care of two babies by herself with just Taylor when they had a whole staff on hand in the infirmary.

"They are very healthy and they haven't had any more complications, they are healthy weight and development. There's no reason why they have to stay here when they can go home" Elisabeth told them with a smile.

"Everything is ready at home" Taylor said reassuring Alicia. He was glad Elisabeth was finally releasing the twins as it meant Alicia would come home aswell. He was tired of sleeping in the infirmary, he wanted them all at home as a family.

"Ok" Alicia said.

"So I heard Kate and Malcolm out there. Everything ok?" Taylor asked Elisabeth changing the topic.

"Yes, Malcolm didn't appreciate Kate referring to their child as a hostile alien bent on sucking the life out of her before it takes over the colony" Elisabeth said with a chuckle. Even Taylor and Alicia couldn't resist laughing as Kate was slowly coming to terms with being pregnant she just hadn't jumped over the last hurdle of being a loving mother and cooing over the fact she was pregnant. But then the woman was suffering fatigue, muscle and joint pains along with an acute sense of smell.

Alicia had the joy of hearing all of Kate's complaints but then Alicia also found it incredibly amusing hear them as Kate admitted to her that she can't stand being near Jim and Taylor as something about their 'man stink' made her want to gag. But Kate made Alicia promise not the tell the boys as she didn't want to offend them as she knew they'd either get upset that she was questioning their personal hygiene or torture her by standing closer to her or hugging her while innocently asking if everything was ok.

"Fairly dramatic" Taylor said.

"That's Kate for you" Alicia said with a smile as she moved to the incubator that no longer had the shell over the top as it was converted into a cot of sorts and lifted up one of the twins she loved holding her babies.

"Yes, I think she was being funny but Malcolm took it to be serious" Elisabeth said.

"Australian humour is hard to decipher sometimes." Alicia said she could still remember the early days of Boylan and Taylor coming to blows as Boylan would take the piss out of Taylor about something to garner a laugh not to be malicious but Taylor had not found it funny and was ready to deck the man.

"Yes but they are fine. All three of them, I have to say I very proud of Malcolm. He has really stepped up to the plate" Elisabeth said impressed.

"Still hasn't married her" Taylor said.

"They will eventually get married" Elisabeth said as though it wasn't a big deal that Kate and Malcolm weren't getting married before the baby is born.

"I know" Taylor said the manner he said it tweaked Alicia's 'Taylor is up to something' radar.

"You talked to him didn't you?" Alicia said in an accusing tone.

"I subtly suggested that he should marry her before the child is born" Taylor said carefully. Alicia shook her head in disbelief.

"You're about as subtle as a sonic blast to the head" Alicia told him

"Don't joke about that" Taylor said as he remembered Alicia nearly being shot in the head by Lucas with a sonic pistol.

"You're meddling has to stop" Alicia told him in a serious tone.

"I'm not meddling. I suggested" Taylor said.

"Right" Alicia said dryly.

* * *

"You know I think we should get married before the baby comes" Malcolm said late that night, they were lying in each other's arm. He knew they had talked about waiting but Commander Taylor had told him in no uncertain terms that it would be better for Malcolm and Kate to be married before the baby came. Malcolm personally had no preference but he didn't want his career or Kate's to be affected by not being socially accepted when they could tie the knot sooner than later.

So he waited until Kate was sated sexually knowing it softened her when it came to bringing up the conversation. He was lucky she hadn't caught on that he used sex as a tool to make her more pliable as her hormones were all over the place and after sex she seemed to be her most calm and accepting self. When he wanted her to agree on something all he had to do was take her to bed and the stubborn refusals melted into mellow agreements or compromises but still it worked.

He had to admit he liked her odd friskiness even if it was slightly inappropriate to have one's fiancé undress him with her eyes and imagining what she was going to do to him during a senior meeting. She really had no control over it and didn't even disguise what she was thinking. No one called her on it as they didn't want to set her off as her emotions were unpredictable and they found it incredibly amusing to watch Malcolm squirm while Kate was oblivious to what she was telegraphing.

"What?" Kate asked.

"Commander-"

"Oh this is unfreaking-believable" Kate said sitting up annoyed at what she was hearing. "What did he say?" she asked Malcolm.

"He said we are senior members of the colony people look up to us. He's right, my staff and the public and with that comes responsibilities. We have to promote healthy relationships and be good role models" Malcolm said as he realised he hadn't sexed her just enough to have this conversation safely.

"You think this isn't healthy? That us being unmarried with a baby makes us bad role models? Because we are engaged and I think you're allowed some leeway considering the circumstances before tying the knot" Kate said referring to his amnesia.

"You don't want to get married to me?" he asked as he sat up as this was going to be a more serious conversation than he had anticipated.

"No I do. I want to be your wife more than anything but we were planning a year or two from now. I don't want to us to have to rush just because we're having a kid or what other people think. It's about us" Kate said just as they had talked about on numerous occasions the past few days as they nutted out their plans for fixing up the nursery and making lists of what they would need so they could do it all in one or two trips.

"He also told me there was some legalities of having a child with two unmarried people" Malcolm said.

"He was yanking your chain. We should be allowed to choose when we get married" Kate said with a sigh.

"I told you I don't care when we get married as long as we do. I will love you and our child all we are doing is making that declaration legal and legitimising the child. I also think if it's going to affect our livelihood we should just tie the knot and make it all official so we don't have to worry" he said diplomatically.

"Oh ok" Kate said in mock casual tone. She got up off the bed and starting putting the clothes she had stripped out of earlier that evening back on.

"What are you doing?" Malcolm asked.

"I'm getting dressed " Kate stated.

"I see that, but why? Where are you going?" he asked.

"Why don't you follow me and see" Kate said.

* * *

Taylor had been fast asleep when he woke with a start as the door to the room was abruptly pulled open and the lights switched on.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kate hissed at him in a low and angry voice. Her red hair was wild and her clothes were slightly askew. Alicia looked over at the twins who were undisturbed by Kate's intrusion before looking at her friend who looked close to murder.

"Kate?" Taylor asked as he pushed up in the bed looking at Kate.

"Seriously. You feed some bullwinkle of a story to Malcolm and make it sound like he's going to be disadvantaged career wise if he doesn't marry me now. Well congratulations it worked! I don't have the patience to put up with your mission to make sure no one gives birth to a kid out of wedlock. So you win. You're going to officiate our union now." Kate told him in a way that said he had no choice in the matter because he brought it on himself.

"He is?" Malcolm said he had figured they'd organise a proper wedding he noted Elisabeth and her husband Jim had appeared for the show as they were standing at the doorway watching with bemused expressions.

"Yeah, he's a commander and it's a civil union. You said you were completely fine with it. Why should wait when we can do it now?" Kate said to Malcolm who looked equally stunned as Taylor by Kate's anger and annoyance at being pushed into a corner.

"Because all the plex work is in the Command Centre and it's not an appropriate hour" Taylor said he also didn't want to mention the fact he was completely naked under the sheets and didn't feel it quite appropriate to be officiating anything naked.

"You want us married. You do it tonight or I'll show you a bad role model." Kate warned him darkly.

"Can I put my pants on first?" Taylor asked no impressed by Kate's attitude. He had no doubt she would show every rotten behaviour she could while toeing the line of law.

"Yes, so we are all going gather in the Command Centre in 10 minutes. No arguments or excuses" Kate said gesturing to Jim and Elisabeth along with Alicia, Taylor and Malcolm like they needed to be told "We'll legalise this union and make this unborn baby legitimate so the masses will not go into a riot. Afterwards we'll all go to our respective homes like it's a normal evening. A year from today Malcolm and I renew our vows the way we should have with a nice ceremony with all of us looking very photograph happy and beautiful. Am I understood?" Kate asked them all.

"Ok" Taylor said while Jim and Malcolm also nodded in a cautious manner as they really didn't want to set her off.

"Kate-" Alicia started but Kate cut her off.

"No excuses, a nurse can sit with the kids it'll take ten minutes tops. You're leaving this room even if I have to drag you tooth and nail" Kate told Alicia. Alicia had wanted to calm Kate and maybe have them talk in privacy but Kate was firm in her decision and wasn't going to take no for an answer or listen.

"It can't wait until tomorrow?" Taylor asked as he really didn't want to get of bed it was obviously the wrong thing to say.

"Oh I'm sorry you should have thought about putting in your business hours when you so not subtly told Malcolm and myself to get married every time for the past week. So come on! Hustle people!" Kate said leaving the room.

"I told you not to meddle. Are you proud of yourself?" Alicia asked after Elisabeth, Jim and Malcolm followed Kate closing the door behind them to give Taylor and Alicia their privacy to get changed or dressed in Taylor's case. He really couldn't wait to get home and sleep in his bed with a locked door.

"I'd figure she'd last a little longer at least another 12 hours" Taylor said as he got out of bed giving Alicia a delicious view as he picked up his clothes and pulled them on. Alicia gave a sigh and pulled the sheets off herself and slid out of the bed and went to the duffel Taylor had packed for her and pulled out a Caramel coloured maxi dress with v-neckline and capped sleeves and changed out the tank and shorts she had been wearing and donned a bra and the dress over the top. Unlike Taylor she didn't feel comfortable sleeping naked in the Infirmary, it was bad enough she flashed her breasts every two hours or so. She didn't need someone walking in to spot her in the buff with her post baby body that was not sexy in the slightest. She needed to get back into shape.

She quicklypulled a brush through her hair and left it loose around her shoulders before rummaging through the bag pulling out another maxi dress that was royal blue sleeveless with a scoop neckline and elastic waistline that Alicia had not worn since her stomach looked bigger than a woman at three months. The fabric wasn't as forgiving as the stretch jersey most Maxi dresses were made in.

"You look beautiful" Taylor said making her turn around.

"Thank you, we should get going" Alicia said coolly as she rolled the dress up and held it under her arm. Taylor was in his usual outfit of BDU pants, tight black t-shirt and combat boots.

* * *

"I'll be back" Malcolm said to Kate once they were outside the infirmary.

"Changed your mind?" She asked him her anger had evaporated and now she looked worried she had pushed Malcolm into something he didn't want. He cupped her face and gave her a quick and passionate kiss before breaking it and looking her straight in the eyes.

"Never, now go to the Command Centre and I'll see you in less than 5 minutes" he assured her before as he went back into the infirmary. Kate turned to Elisabeth and Jim.

"What?" She asked them as they were looking at her with soft smiles.

"You're growing up so fast" Jim said in a mushy kind of way a parent did about their child. Kate made a face.

"Oh get nicked" she told him that made Jim and Elisabeth smile.

"Come on I'll get all the official forms together so all you two crazy kids have to do is sign it. Are you going to keep your last name?" Jim asked as they walked towards the Command Centre.

* * *

Malcolm bypassed the infirmary and headed into his office to his desk and opened the bottom draw. He had to rifle around but he soon found the box he was looking for. He opened it and inspected the contents and smiled as it was exactly as his former self had written. He snapped it closed and readjusted his clothing and the collar of his jacket making himself slightly more presentable.

He had always assumed he'd get married looking a little more respectable than wearing his rumpled work clothes but then he figured he brought it upon himself and they were going to get married. He made a silent promise to make their vow renewal a romantic and memorable event as Kate had stated a 'proper wedding' but with all the trimmings.

* * *

"Kate put this on" Alicia said throwing the royal blue dress at Kate when she came into the Command Centre with Taylor behind her.

"Why?" Kate asked as she caught the dress. She unrolled it and looked at the dress then at Alicia who gave her a 'don't mess with me look just put it on'.

"You only get married once or at least that's what we all hope for and as your best friend I'm not letting you get married looking like a crazy woman. Now open the door to gun cabinet and change behind it" Alicia said. Kate did as ordered and a second later reappeared in the royal blue dress.

"I feel incredibly underdressed standing with you two" Elisabeth complained as she was wearing her work clothes. She moved over to them and helped Alicia fix Kate's hair so it didn't look completely mussed and unruly.

"You could wear a potato sack and still be dressed appropriately" Kate told Elisabeth as the woman was gorgeous just like Alicia. Elisabeth smiled but there was a slight hint of pity in them and Kate knew exactly why she felt it. Even Kate felt pity for herself, she and Malcolm were having probably the most unromantic and rushed wedding in the history of Terra Nova.

"Done, you now have something old, borrowed and blue" Alicia told her.

"I have something new" Malcolm said from the doorway as he held up a ring box. He took a moment to look at Kate as she looked beautiful before he cleared his throat and walked into the room and handed the box to Taylor.

* * *

On the West side of the Colony, Reilly and Reynolds were doing their nightly patrol when Mr Hahlos stopped them.

"I have to make a report of a dead body" he said as he caught his breath.

"Excuse me?" Reilly asked as she wasn't sure she heard Mr Hahlos correctly.

"I think Dr Xiong is dead. Well I'm pretty sure she's dead"

"Dead?" Reynolds asked.

"She was cooking that good awful fish soup that stinks up the place. So at first I didn't notice anything but now 8 days later the smell has taken on a whole different aroma. So I went over tonight as I just couldn't take it no more and that's when I saw her lying on the floor she isn't moving" he told them as they followed him to the house.

"Ok, we'll check it out" Reilly said as soon as they were in range of the house the smell became apparent. Reynolds turned to Mr Hahlos

"Sir if you could return to your house we have it from here" he told the older man.

"Ok but please tell me you'll fix the smell" Mr Hahlos said.

"We will try" Reynolds said as he and Reilly left the old man and walked towards the house. They got to the front door and knocked seeing if Dr Xiong was home. When she didn't answer Reynolds pulled out a torch and flashed it through panel window in the door and cursed stepping back so Reilly could have a look.

"What is it?" Reilly asked she looked in and got the answer as she too stepped back. She pulled out her radio and immediately called Guzman.

* * *

"Congratulations" Taylor said after he pronounced Kate and Malcolm to be man and wife the two smiled and accepted the congratulations, hugs and handshakes from everyone in the room until Guzman came into the room.

"Shotgun Wedding" Guzman surmised as he came into room to see the group he had also heard Taylor announce them to be man and wife. Kate looked happy even though she was dead on her feet. She was leaning on Malcolm who was looking remarkably content.

"Yes, Taylor got his dream come true" Alicia said dryly. Taylor shot her look of censure for the comment before he looked to Guzman.

"What can we do for you?" Taylor asked the man.

"I'm here for Shannon Sir" Guzman said as he looked to Jim. "Your comm. is off"

"It's a civil ceremony. Of course it's off. What's going on?" Jim asked.

"Perhaps we can take this outside. Just Colony business that's needs your attention" Guzman said looking pointedly at Kate and Malcolm who were absorbed in their own world. He really didn't want to taint their nuptials with news of a murder in the colony. Jim nodded and left the room with Guzman and Taylor as Alicia and Elisabeth went to Kate and Malcolm to talk and get a better look at the rings.

"What's going on?" Taylor asked.

"Dr Xiong has been murdered"

"When?"

"From the smell and the state of corpse about 7 to 8 days. I was the first to open the house and only one to go in. She was repeatedly stabbed and her throat slit. It's not pretty" Guzman said he gave them a moment the process the information before he continued "There's also something else" Guzman added.

"Oh?" Taylor asked.

"Whoever did it wrote a message on the wall in the victim's blood" Guzman said.

"What did it say?" Jim asked.

"I think it's best you guys see it for yourself. I already have soldiers on standby to remove the body to the morgue when you give approval" Guzman said.

"This is such a great night, let's just say it's a friendly dispute and allow the newlyweds one night of wedded bliss" Jim said referring to leaving Malcolm and Kate out of the situation and allowing them to enjoy some marital bliss before reality and work set in.

"Agreed you and Guzman go ahead and I'll join you in 15 minutes" Taylor said.

* * *

"So you touched nothing but the door" Jim clarified with Guzman when Taylor joined him twenty minutes later. The smell was beyond horrific as he entered the house but the sight was something out of a horror movie but sadly nothing he hadn't seen before in his line of work.

"That and I lifted the lid on the pot which I recommend you don't do. I did notice the contents were half cooked and rotten but the stove top is off. So I think the killer turned it off" Guzman said to Jim.

Taylor stopped at the dining table as he didn't want to contaminate the crime scene Dr Xiong's corpse was on the ground in the living room. Just as Guzman said it looked like a violent death as she had stab wounds to the torso and her throat slit as she laid in a large pool of her own blood. He eyeballed the living room taking in the blood splatter on the walls and that when he spotted the message 'Their sacrifice will be the Colony's salvation' written in blood on glass door to the backyard.

"That's some message" Taylor said.

"'Their' meaning we have more than one body out there" Jim said speculating.

"Or we can expect more 'sacrifices'. Let's get this body to the morgue, your wife will do a full autopsy in the morning. I want to know what happened here" Taylor said to Jim.

"Yes, Sir" Jim said.

* * *

"Mmm good morning" Kate murmured as she had woken up the loud squeal of Olivia and thumps and bumps of little bodies running around and into things from the living area. She pushed to sit upright and rubbed her face as it felt like 4 am and much too early for children to squealing and playing no matter how much fun they sounded like they were having.

"We need a long and relaxing honeymoon" Malcolm grumbled as he pulled Kate back down into his arms as it was clear from noise continued from the living room that Olivia and Sean were awake along with Evan. Kate looked at the small clock on the bedside table which read 9am.

"You're going to be late for work" Kate murmured.

"Perks of being the boss I'm taking the day off to be with my wife" he said she could hear his smile when he said 'wife'.

"Hmm you like saying that don't you" She said as he had murmured it a lot in the last 12 hour like he was getting used to word but also enjoyed saying it.

"Yes I do" he said he had been incredibly nervous as Marriage was not something to be taken into lightly but once the documents were signed and the ring was on his hand it all felt incredibly right. He liked the weight of the ring and everything it promised to be a symbol of. That and Kate couldn't back out of a wedding later down the line as they were married. She was his and they were going to have a family, the reality was much better than the dream.

"Well Olivia, Sean and Evan should be leaving in 15 minutes for day care and work. The house will be all ours" Kate told him. A salacious smile crossed her lips as she lifted her head to look at Malcolm who was still waking up. He was a slow riser for when it came to getting out of bed.

"Couldn't we just kick Evan and the kids out for a week?" Malcolm asked in a joking fashion. Kate took a deep breath relishing in his light soap smell and scent that was distinctly Malcolm, it was an incredible turn on waking up and realising he was all hers and vice versa.

"No, their house will be ready next week and then you can have your way with me at any hour of the day or night. Just think of this as a preview of the future" She told him. She planted a kiss on his collar bone as the squeals of laughter continued to sound from the living area. She chuckled as she knew that it was definitely not helping her make the mood.

"No, the future will probably have the gall to open the door to our bedroom and jump all over the bed until we get up." He told her which made her laugh as it was true.

"It's your fault" Kate told him.

"Oh really?" he said as he shifted to lie on his side she did the same and wrapped her leg over his hip and pulled herself in close to him. He played with the buttons of her pyjama shirt slowly undoing them in a teasing fashion.

"You made the-" Kate started only for Malcolm to cut her off.

"Oh no don't you dare utter your colourful Australian slang making our baby sound like something vulgar and feral" he told her.

"You're no fun" Kate said with a pout. Malcolm chuckled before he kissed the pout away. They took their time as they continued to kiss in a lazy manner. Malcolm's hands slowly and deliciously wandered her skin as Kate became needy and rolled them over so she was on top. She had just pulled back from the kiss to lift the shirt she was wearing when a knock sounded at the door. She stopped and looked at Malcolm for a moment as if trying to decide whether to continue or not until the knock sounded again.

"Kate" Jim said through the door. Kate groaned as she dropped her upper body on Malcolm's chest he gave a laugh.

"Yes?" Kate said loudly in a disappointed tone but it didn't stop her hands from doing wayward activities as she ran them up and down Malcolm's body in slow motions teasing him.

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important but I need you and Malcolm to get changed and be in the Command Centre within an hour" Jim said through the door.

"Ok" Kate said as she really didn't want to get out of bed. She looked to the door and listened as Jim walked away to talk with Evan. She lifted her head and looked down at Malcolm with a salacious smile. "We have an hour" she said in a low voice.

"You need to eat" Malcolm told her.

"I know" she said her grin getting wider.

"Breakfast" he clarified which made Kate pout and temporarily give up her pursuits of morning sex.

* * *

An hour and fifteen minutes later, Taylor, Guzman and Jim were waiting in the morgue as Elisabeth had called the change the settings.

"You told them we were here right?" Taylor asked Jim as he checked his comm. for the time again getting impatient.

"It's their honeymoon, can't expect them to be on time" Jim replied as Kate and Malcolm came in. They both looked happy and well rested until Kate turned slightly green they stood in the semi circle that stood by a large holographic display system Elisabeth used for her autopsies and to review full body scans.

"Oh who died and rotted with a bucket of fish?" Kate asked as she shifted uncomfortably on her feet as her gag reflex was going mad.

"That's quite specific. How can you smell that?" Jim asked her in disbelief.

"The nose knows and I'm pregnant. It comes with super powers of heightened sense of smell among other things. Why couldn't we do this in a well ventilated room?" Kate asked as she gave a small cough and folded an arm accross her chest and cupped one elbow while covering her nose and mouth.

"We are in a well ventilated room. The corpse has been in a sealed morgue drawer for the past half an hour. You shouldn't smell anything" Taylor told her.

"Trust me I can smell it. So can we get to why we are here?" Kate asked as her eyes were watering she wished for a moment to not be pregnant as the room was rank with dead body, fish and man stink of Jim, Taylor and Guzman. She couldn't understand why other men stank to her lately but they did along with Gallosaur meat and Xiphactinus fish.

The previous few weeks of being pregnant smells went through phases of smelling good to downright nasty and the past two weeks it was the boys turn. As they had all smelt alright to her but now it's like they all hadn't showered for days and ran three marathons. Yet Malcolm was suspiciously fine she was beginning to suspect he was showering with scent-away soap but so far hadn't found the evidence. She was however very grateful as it would be made sleeping in the same bed with him unbearable if he stank to the high heaven.

"Of course, this is Dr Anna Xiong, she was 8 days ago" Elisabeth said bringing up a holographic representation of the dead female body.

"Murdered?" Kate asked for clarification as she was sure she didn't hear that part right.

"Yes" Elisabeth said she went into an in depth explanation of how the woman had been paralysed with a toxin and then stabbed several times before her throat was slit and bled to death. Jim then spoke telling Kate and Malcolm about the crime scene and the message on the wall.

"That's pretty brutal. Can we tell if the unknown suspect is a he or a she? What kind of knife?" Kate asked as she really didn't want to say murderer out loud.

"It will take time for the computer to render any useful to determine the type of knife but I can tell you it's a single non serrated edge blade but it's not much to go on" Elisabeth.

"Everyone in the colony has a knife like that in their kitchen" Taylor commented.

"Yes, I know and it will take time for the forensics get through all the blood samples. If we are lucky the killer left a part of themselves behind" Elisabeth said.

"Hopefully" Kate said.

"Malcolm, we're going to need access to Dr Xiong's work station and we will need to know what Dr Xiong was working on" Taylor said after Elisabeth was finished.

"Sure, but her work station was at home. She is a theoretical physicist one of the few who are currently working on the equations about time fractures and that line of thought" Malcolm said.

"Is she a sixer?" Kate asked.

"No, I already asked Mira" Guzman said he wondered why Kate had jumped to such a conclusion.

"Ok, did you guys lift prints from the house and make a list of all her colleagues and friends to talk to?" Kate asked dryly as she wanted to get out of the room as soon as possible before she upended her stomach. She was already eyeing a waste bin on the floor.

"Wow you sounded just like my old Captain. But no whoever it is they wore gloves and cleaned up after themselves which is remarkable considering the amount of blood splatter. There was little evidence and I do have a list of people. I was thinking we could conduct interviews today" Jim said.

"Ok, just so I'm on the right page here. We have an ambiguous murder with a message that could applied to anyone in the colony being the next victim" Kate said as she was talking slow and shallow breaths to stop herself from vomiting from the smell. The wastebin was looking like an evitable option.

"Like I said we'll start with the friends and colleagues and branch out. Are you feeling ok?" Jim asked her.

"Peachy, are we done with show and tell? Because I'm going to be honest I'm about five seconds from chundering" Kate said.

"You're dismissed" Jim told her, he even pointed out the nearest exit as he really didn't want her to vomit.

"Thank you" Kate said gratefully as she left the room.


	40. Chapter 40

"Dr Felicity Goldman" Jim said as he knocked on the door. They had already interviewed most of Dr Xiong's work colleagues and friends. They had a timeline of her movements of her last few hours before her murder but it wasn't much to go on. Elisabeth had called them and announced there was little to no forensic evidence to help them in identifying the killer as there was not trace evidence and the knife that was used was a common kitchen knife. The same kitchen knife from Dr Xiong's Kitchen which had been cleaned and put back into the block.

"You sure she's home?" Kate asked as she was on the front porch a few steps away from him. He wondered if he smelt bad but dismissed it as he had showered that morning and Elisabeth told him he smelt good enough to eat.

"Malcolm said she worked in conjunction with Dr Xiong and they both work from home. Where else would she be at this time?"

"Pottery class?" Kate suggested innocently as she pulled a small knife from her boot and used it to lever the blinders of the window open.

"Funny" Jim said but before he could chastise her for trying to pry open the window Kate opened it and immediately stepped back and coughed moving from away from the house.

"Seriously what is with today?" Kate said as she recovered control of her gag reflex.

"What is it?" Jim asked.

"Someone or something has died in there" she said as she moved back to the front porch and scrunched her nose in disgust as she came back better prepared for the foul smell to wreck havoc with her.

"Ok overriding the door" Jim said as he punched in the code. Kate pushed the door open and let Jim go in first.

"Oh Geez that is rank" Kate said. Jim walked into the house and straight to the body. "I'm checking for signs of forced entry" Kate said as Jim called it in to Guzman. A few seconds later she returned and made a face of disgust as she turned a lovely shade of green.

"She's dead" Jim told her as he noted Kate keeping a fair distance from the body.

"I can smell that" Kate said as she moved closer to take a look at the body of Felicity Goldman. The woman who was lying on the floor in the same manner as Dr Xiong had been.

"Looks like the same M.O. just like the other victim. But the message is different" Jim said as he inspected the body with his eyes only and pointed at the wall with the message scrawled in blood.

"It's the salvation of our Colony that will make the heaven within" Kate read with a frown. "That makes no sense" she said.

"I don't know it's cryptic or just plain crazy" Jim said as Kate repeated the lines through her head.

"You know that last line kinda sounds familiar but I can't place it. Could be hooky religious stuff" Kate said as she tried to get closer but the smell was too much.

"Religion isn't hooky" Jim said.

"My apologies, by the way there were no signs of forced entry I think who ever this is our victims knew their attacker and let them walk through the front door." Kate said.

* * *

"I have two women who were murdered in their homes" Taylor said when Kate and Jim stopped by his house. Alicia and the twins were having an afternoon nap as the three of them talked in hushed tones over coffee and tea at the dining table.

"The only connections they have is that they were colleagues and both well known for working at home and not being seen for days at a time" Jim said.

"I just don't get why them? They have no enemies from what we could find, no problems except Dr Xiong annoyed people with her smelly soup but it's not something to be sliced and diced to death for." Kate said.

"How are we going to explain this to the colony? Two bodies in less than 48hours" Taylor said.

"Two bodies that have been found so far but they were killed days apart. I recommend we do a head count of the Colony and find out how many are really missing. Who knows how many other rotting corpses we have waiting for us" Kate said.

"You're talking about head counting over 1000 people" Taylor said.

"You could hold a town meeting. We'll make sure all the security cameras are pointed at the crowd. You announce the deaths of the scientists and to tell people to take precautions as they were violent robberies. Tell them to not panic as you'll increase soldier patrols on the west side of the colony at night and say you're doing everything in your power to find the criminal. That anyone who has information about any suspicious behaviour in the areas of the two houses can come forward after the meeting and talk with Jim and yourself." Kate said to Taylor.

"You want to gage the colonist's reactions" Taylor said thinking Kate's idea over. It was sound even if it was going to work it meant scaring people and answering a lot questions he didn't want to. He looked to the bedroom where Alicia and the twins were sleeping and decided he would have to beef up security on their own house and make sure Alicia was never left alone with the twins.

"Yes, I do and we can do a head count at the same time from the video feed and also see if anyone shows a reaction we are not expecting. It won't be an exact art but it might give us some leads as whoever this person is meticulous to plan out these deaths and leave little to no evidence. That denotes training" Kate said.

"You thinking it's a pro?" Jim asked Kate, the woman shook her head.

"No a pro would have been more precise in their actions the pattern of the wounds is erratic and they would never have left the bodies. I thinking a scientist as they have access to this paralysing agent or the ingredients to cook one up and they would also have constant access to the database and intelligent enough to hack the security feeds and redirect the cameras" Kate said.

"Ok do it, I'll send out a message for the meeting to be tomorrow morning at 11am" Taylor said he got up from his chair as a tiny wail sounded marking that one of the twins of awake.

"Ok, we'll leave you to it" Jim said motioning to Kate they should leave.

"Keep me posted" he said his way of dismissing them Kate and Jim got up and left the house as Taylor went into the bedroom and saw Baby Ella was crying and fussing.

"What you wailing about?" He asked her in a low voice as he carefully lifted her out of the crib and into his arms "oh you just wanted to be held didn't you?" he said as Ella calmed in his arms and opened her eyes looking up at him with her dark brown eyes. He and Alicia lucked out as the girls were fraternal twins. Ella had dark brown eyes just like her mother while Ava inherited Taylor's blue eyes even if their facial features proved identical they would never pull the wool over Taylor and Alicia's eyes.

He looked over at Alicia who was still sleeping along with Ava who was also sound asleep in the crib swaddled up in a cotton blanket. Taylor removed himself and Ella out of the bedroom into the lounge room. He walked around the room with Ella in his arms and her face looking out towards the room as he just talked to her about the room and stupid things as he was sure Ella had no clue what he was saying but he read that it was never too early to help a baby develop language skills.

* * *

Alicia stirred awake and looked over at the crib and saw only Ava inside. She sat up in bed and stretched as she was sure Taylor had Ella as she could hear him talking in a low voice around the living area. She quietly slipped out bed and moved to the door but stayed out of sight. She looked out to see Taylor walking aimlessly around the room with Ella in his arms.

"I royally stepped in it this time and your mum is pretty angry at me. You got any thoughts on what I can do to get her back? And don't say flowers your mum hates flowers" Taylor said to Ella who was wriggling his arms, he opened the cloth and Ella moved her arms enjoying the freedom. "You got nothing as well huh? Well I guess I'll have to think of something on my own" he said as Ella made no noises or anything he could possibly translate into a suggestion. "But don't worry I'll find a way, I love her way too much to give up the fight now"

Alicia heard Ava stirring and moved to the crib, tears stung her eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat and wished she could get over her anger and pain. She wanted them to be how they were but she couldn't let it go because if she did it was her way of saying it was ok for him to do what he did. No, he had to prove his words with actions. She lifted Ava up out the crib in her arms and decided it was time to make her appearance known before she weakened.

* * *

"We're home" Kate said as Malcolm opened the door and stepped in. He held the door opened and waited for her as she kicked off boots and left them at the door. She stepped inside and Malcolm closed the door. There was no answer and she couldn't hear any movement indicating Evan and the kids were still out. Normally she would have attacked Malcolm but she wanted to reenergize and shower the day off her first.

"No one's home" Malcolm said as a fact not an invitation.

"Mmm I need a shower" Kate said as she pulled her ponytail out and shook her hair loose.

"Want company?" he asked her looking at her.

"I won't say no" she said with a smile as she pulled by his shirt to the bathroom.

* * *

"There's a town meeting tomorrow" Taylor said as he placed dinner on the table. Alicia poured two glasses of water before taking her seat the twins were on the floor in two padded play seats with mini mobiles hanging over them.

"Is this about what Guzman tore you and Jim away for last night?" Alicia asked.

"Two women have been murdered" Taylor said, Alicia looked at him expecting more so he told her what he knew after he was finished Alicia cursed under her breath. "I don't want you here by yourself" he told her.

"I can take care of myself" Alicia said.

"I don't doubt that but I want to know when I leave you here you won't be by yourself. We don't know who's being targeted or why. Think of it like that Dino quip Kate says to Jim all the time" Taylor asked with a wry smile.

"You mean the one about only having to outrun him?" Alicia said, it was yet another of Kate's running jokes with Jim as the two would then have a race which Kate would win as the girl ran like the wind even though she didn't run daily.

"Exactly, who ever this is will have to get through four soldiers before you have to fight. I want you and the girls to be safe" Taylor said, she could see he was truly worried about this killer coming after her.

"Four is overkill, make it two and they can help me with the babies I'm sure whoever you post will really appreciate you for it" Alicia said compromising.

"It's less than an hour and if they complain I'll make them demuck latrines for a week." Taylor said matter factorily.

"I don't need guards" Alicia said as she didn't want them to babysit her or be punished for disliking their job.

"Please can you just accept it and not fight about it." Taylor asked in an exhausted tone.

"Ok but only two guards" Alicia told him.

* * *

"Oi! Olive don't be such a grot" Kate complained as Olivia had wiped the sticky mango juice on Kate's arm to steal the mango from Kate's bowl. "Ask if you want more mango" Kate added shaking her head as she smiled incredulously. Evan shot his daughter a look of censure and shook his head looking disappointed at her.

"Sorry" Olivia said as she sat down in her seat looking suitably chastised.

"Would you like some more mango Olivia?" Evan asked Olivia nodded. "What do you say?"

"More, please" she said with a smile though her please sounded like 'pwease'. It was still incredibly adorable. Evan spooned some mango from his bowl into Olivia's and she gave the requisite 'thank you' before she stuck her hands into the bowl and began eating.

"I really need to work on her table manners" Evan said.

"Well at least she used a fork at dinner" Malcolm offered with amused smile as Kate wiped the mango juice off her arm with her napkin.

"It's ok, but I think we have learned Olivia loves Mangoes" Kate said with a chuckle as she watched Olivia suck up the mango.

"So when was the wedding?" Evan asked casually though his smile was one of amusement.

"Sorry?" Kate asked blankly as the question caught her off guard.

"You two are wearing matching rings" Evan said pointing to Kate and Malcolm's left hands before he ate some more of his fruit salad.

"Oh last night it was just a quick civil ceremony." Kate said smiling at Malcolm.

"We decided we'd wait until next year to have a proper celebration when we renew our vows" Malcolm told Evan.

"Sounds good by then the baby will be born and you'll be able to have a glass of champagne or whatever passes for bubbly in these parts." Evan said he knew the quick nuptials had more to do with Taylor pressuring them which was why he wasn't going to push the 'why' questions.

"Yeah that's we thought too" Kate said making it sound like that had been the plan all along.

"Well congratulations and apologies" Evan said.

"Apologies?" Malcolm said confused.

"Yeah being here with us not exactly honeymoon territory. I'd clear out but my place won't be ready until tomorrow as that's when the furniture is put in. So we'll be out of your hair by tomorrow night" Evan said.

"Wow that's quick, I though you still had another week" Kate said surprised at news.

"Apparently the builder was being generous in his estimates. You two going to miss us?" Evan asked her.

"Of course. We'll have to do weekly dinners with Alicia and her family have one huge table. I'll talk to Carter about it tomorrow get one made up for the future" Kate said.

"We'll put it on your back veranda. You got the space and it has a roof over it so it will work for all seasons" Evan said.

"When did my house become neutral ground? I thought you and Taylor made up" Kate said as she knew Evan was only suggesting her back veranda as it wouldn't be at his place of Taylor's.

"We did but it's not like we're buddies so it's better to be on neutral ground" Evan said.

"As long as we all take turns cooking I'm in. Malcolm?" Kate asked looking at her husband.

"I have no problem with this plan" Malcolm said, he liked the idea of having an extended family even if they weren't related by blood.

* * *

"Can you believe he's using sex to soften me up?" Kate asked. Alicia choked on her tea as she was sure she had missed something in the conversation as Kate had gone from talking about Evan moving out to him using sex as tool to 'soften her up'. Alicia was sure Kate meant Malcolm but it didn't stop her from reacting and playing into the bait.

"You're already having an affair?" Alicia asked.

"Huh?" Kate asked.

"My brother is softening you up with sex?" Alicia said with an amused smile while Kate shook her head making a face.

"No, Malcolm. I did say Malcolm right?" Kate asked Alicia shook her head. "Oh sorry I could have sworn I said Malcolm but anyway he really wants to know the gender of our kid in a few weeks. I on the other hand want to keep it a surprise." Kate said even though it was still a few weeks until they could find out but that didn't stop Malcolm from 'trying' to change her mind.

"Why?" Alicia asked as she was trying hard not laugh. she didn't think the prim and proper Dr Malcolm Wallace would stoop to such figured he'd use logic and conversation and talk Kate into submission.

"Because I can and it's killing Malcolm that he can't just access my medical files in 6 weeks and find out. Though when he can he'll have to keep it to himself for 6 months or more" Kate said with a smile as it was a double edged sword for Malcolm as it was going to fun.

"You're really odd" Alicia told her.

"I am?" Kate asked innocently.

"Yeah, you're supposed to share and care about the baby not use it as a means to amuse yourself with Malcolm's inability to keep trivial secrets like the sex of your baby to himself when I know for a fact you don't care if you find out either way" Alicia said with a chuckle.

"I know but that's not the point! Every time he wants to ask me something that will tick me off or my mind is set. He goes melts my brain with sex and in the afterglow drops whatever bomb he has. Like Taylor and getting married...that conversation was like a bucket of ice water on the system"

"Really?"

"Yeah I can't believe how I flipped my lid" Kate said as she really hated when she became impulsive.

"Ew I touched your sex hair" Alicia said wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"And you call me juvenile" Kate told Alicia who smiled. The smile slipped away and Alicia looked at Kate with a serious expression.

"Does it bother you that Taylor meddle with you?" Alicia asked Kate took a moment before answering.

"Yes. I wanted to wait and allow Malcolm time to know he was sure about me and getting married when we were ready" Kate said looking down at her cup of tea. "Not get married because he felt his career was in jeopardy"

"I don't think he got married to you for that reason." Alicia told her.

"Oh yeah it was probably 'She's knocked up and it's my child', 'my journal says we love each other' and 'Yeah I could spend the next 30 to 40 years doing her' really great reasons to get married" Kate said sarcastically.

"Or perhaps he loves you and wanted to marry you instead of waiting until you were convinced he wasn't doing it out of obligation" Alicia said matter of factorily.

"He's not the same-" Kate stopped as a knock sounded at the door.

"My guards are here" Alicia said with a sigh as they had the worst timing as she knew Kate needed to get it off her chest. She could tell that while Kate was happy being married but it didn't mean she didn't have her doubts about marriage in general and they rushed their nuptials due to Kate losing her cool and instead of allowing sense to be talked into her they just went along with it.

"Which means I have to run. Thanks for the tea." Kate said as she got up from the table and took her mug to the sink emptying it and placing it in the dishwasher before opening the front door to find Reynolds and Reilly standing on the door step. Kate smiled and chuckled as the two looked like they would rather be anywhere but on guard duty with Alicia.

"What's so funny?" Alicia asked as she joined Kate at the door and saw Reilly and Reynolds at the door.

"Nothing, I just thought you were kidding about the guards." Kate said to Alicia as she was quietly wondering where the rest of the platoon was hiding but kept the joke to herself. "What landed you two in hot water to end up here?" Kate asked them.

"We volunteered Ma'am" Reynolds said, Alicia and Kate exchanged looks that said they didn't believe him for a moment.

"Right I'll leave you three to the tender mercies of the twins" Kate said with another chuckle. She turned to Alicia "Can we finish our conversation another time?" she asked.

"Of course" Alicia said with a nod she was glad Kate wasn't going to bury the conversation and forget about it.

"Good, I'll see you later" Kate said as they briefly hugged. Kate left the house and headed towards the main square. Alicia looked to Reilly and Reynolds.

"Ok come in" Alicia said motioning them in. "You can guard them while I take a shower" she said and before Reynolds and Reilly could say boo she picked up her clothes and ducked into the shower. She was only going to need 3 minutes and figured was the worst that could happen.

* * *

Reynolds and Reilly looked at one another and then at the babies as soon as the door closed. "We are so screwed" Reilly said to Reynolds in a low voice after the door to the bathroom closed and the sound of running water could be heard.

"Look at them so small and cute. Anyway they are sleeping how can it go bad?" Reynolds said as he slung his gun over his shoulder to look closer at the babies that had been sleeping peacefully only for one to wake up and start making noises.

"Like that" Reilly said as the noises soon turned into tiny cries.

"What should we do?" Reynolds said slightly panicked. He was sure if Lt Washington came out to find the babies crying she would not be happy.

"Why are you asking me?" Reilly asked him.

"You're a woman" he told her. Reilly quirked an eyebrow as she looked unimpressed.

"Really? That's your reasoning because I have all the working parts I know what to do with one of those things" Reilly said pointing at the babies.

"Ok, here take my gun" Reynolds said as passed his gun to Reilly.

"What are you doing?" Reilly asked him.

"Trying to get out of a week of demucking latrines" Reynolds said as he lifted the crying baby off the cushioned floor and held the baby up like she were a live grenade. He leaned forward he carefully took a tentative sniff of the baby's bottom that was wrapped up in a nappy. "I don't smell anything, maybe he's hungry" Reynolds said.

"They had girls you idiot"

"Right, you think she is hungry?"

"Oh for crying out loud, give her here" Reilly said as she put his gun down and shouldered hers before she took the baby from him and cradle the small girl in her arms. After a few seconds the wailing stopped.

"Hey you got her stop. You're a natural" Reynolds said.

"She's a human being Reynolds. Would you like to be held like you were holding her?" Reilly asked him.

"Good point can I hold her now?" Reynolds asked.

"Knock yourself out" Reilly said as she passed the baby back to him. She watched as Reynolds awkwardly cradled the baby. "So when are you and Maddy going to start popping out kids?"

"Not for a long time. If her father has anything to say it will never happen" Reynolds said with a smile as he watched the baby slowly quieten down and fall asleep again. "Hey I thought you didn't know anything about babies" he said as looked to Reilly.

"I don't. I was using common sense. All babies need is comfort, nourishment and cleaning" Reilly said.

"I'm sure there's more to it than that" Reynolds said as he carefully put the resting baby down next to her sister. He picked up his gun before he and Reilly moved to a safe distance.

"Not really, it's when they get bigger they are an issue" Reilly said.

"An issue? You really don't like kids do you?"

"Well not all women are cut out to have kids" Reilly told him.

* * *

"I feel like this is a waste of time" Jim said as it was about the twentieth time they had watched the video feeds of the town meeting.

"Well at least we know that we have 10 people to track down" Kate said as she made a note to talk with Mira and Carter as she noted some of the sixers were telegraphing unusual behaviour Kate wasn't game to point it out as she felt Taylor and Jim would leap right on it. Of course it was easier to point the finger at someone who was already a convicted criminal and she didn't want to waste time having to interview every sixer when she could bypass them for Mira and Carter.

"It's a start. Hopefully they are all alive and well. Let's go" Jim said getting up from his chair. Kate nodded as she turned off the screen and followed him out of the room.

* * *

Kate stood back as Jim knocked on the door. "You alright there?" he asked her as he could see she was looking a little pale. "You smelling death again?" he joked.

"No I-" she didn't finish as the door opened and a pale man wearing nothing but pyjamas and holding bucket stood at the door.

"Mr Finnegan" Jim said in greeting whilst subtly taking a step back as he hoped Finnegan wasn't contagious.

"Sheriff" he said weakly.

"Hi, there was a town meeting today I didn't see you there so I thought we'd drop by" Jim said as it was pretty clear Finnegan had a good reason for not being at the town meeting.

"Yeah I ate bad Xiph-kebabs yesterday. It has been downhill from there" Finnegan said as he swallowed and took a deep breath as if preparing himself for another round of vomit.

"I feel for you. Listen we just need to let you know there has been two murders from break enters gone wrong. We wanted to drop by and make you aware and to be careful. Take extra precautions while we are finding the culprits" Jim said.

"Ok, I don't mean to be rude-" Finnegan said as he gestured he was going to be sick.

"Go ahead and hope you get better soon" Jim said as the man closed the door. he turned to Kate and motioned they head for the next house.

"Poor guy. Who's next?" Kate asked as they walked to the next one.

"Mrs Caetano, her husband died during the occupation leaving her with a 6 year old son." Jim said, he looked to Kate who said nothing. He could tell by her expression that she was purposely remaining silent as she wasn't one for voicing condolences as it never quite felt sufficient to make up for loss of a life.

"So, you and Malcolm how's that marriage working out?" Jim asked making conversation.

"It's been less than 24 hours and I'm here with you" Kate said.

"Some honeymoon. I hear Evan is moving out today. Why don't you take a couple of days off?" Jim suggested.

"While we have the possibility of a serial killer on the loose?" Kate asked in a low voice so that no one could accidently overhear them.

"Whoa two deaths do not make a serial killer" Jim said in a low voice defensively.

"Hey I want to be wrong but two deaths, same M.O. in the space of a fortnight? It doesn't take a giant leap to see a pattern emergining. Anyway I think for the sixers on this list we should talk to Mira instead of trying to track them down" Kate told Jim as they continued to walk.

"Why?" Jim asked as he stopped and turned to look at her. Kate stopped and pursed her lips as she knew he was going to be pissed off.

"The sixers are still pretty close-" Kate started but Jim cut her off as his infamous gut instincts acted up.

"Kate?" he said in a tone that said 'Don't lie to me or there will be consequences'.

"I said it wasn't an exact art" she said defensively.

"Kate" he prompted.

"They were telegraphing, I have a feeling they know something" Kate told him with a shrug.

"Telegraphing? They looked as shocked as everyone else" Jim said as he had been watching them too but didn't pick up anything unusual in their behaviour.

"I could be wrong but we could also save ourselves a lot of hassle talking to her first" Kate said.

"Ok, I'll send her message to expect us" Jim said as he pulled out his comm. and sent Mira a message.

* * *

An hour later Mira welcomed Jim and Kate into her house. Mrs Caetano had been looking after her son who was running a fever. She was a quiet and polite woman who appreciated their call to let her know to take extra precautions.

"Thanks for giving us the time" Jim said as Mira gestured for them to sit at the dining table where Carter was currently sitting partaking in a cup of tea. Kate smothered a smile as she would never thought she would see him looking so civilised as he was freshly shaven and wearing a nice shirt.

"You got a date or something?" Kate asked as she took a seat opposite him at the table. She prepared herself as Jim took the seat next to her and she took slow and shallow breaths as the man reeked.

"No, I lost a bet" Carter told her as he watched her with amusement. "You ok?" Carter asked Kate.

"Perfect, I'll need to talk to you later about some work for you" Kate said.

"Like I don't have enough work to do. What do you want now?" Carter asked with a smile.

"A table for at least ten people and a crib" Kate said.

"Oh who's knocked up this time?" Carter asked being crass.

"I am" Kate said it took a moment for the information to sink in.

"Wow, really? I thought it was a rumour" Carter said before he took a sip of his tea, Mira sat down next to him and offered tea butJim and Kate both politely declined.

"One that actually turned out to be true but we're not announcing yet" Kate told him.

"I gotcha. My lips are sealed. So how many are you spawning?" Carter asked.

"Spawning?" Jim said as Mira took her seat next to Carter. It felt like a negotiation was going to happen the way they were sitting.

"One" Kate answered in mild amusement.

"Congratulations" Mira said.

"Thank you" Kate said.

"I assume you are sensitive to smells" Mira said looking at Jim.

"What? I had a shower this morning" Jim said defensively.

"I'm sure you did. Can we get to why you wanted to speak with me?" Mira asked dryly as she'd rather get this meeting over and get back to what she was doing.

"Yes, five of your people didn't attend the town meeting people are missing and you've been covering for them. Why?" Kate asked.

"I've been trying to find the answer to that myself" Mira said.

"So they are missing" Kate said.

"Yes" Mira answered.

"when did they disappear?" Jim asked as he pulled out his hand held plex to take notes as Kate was right. Carter and Mira looked at one another as if having a telepathic conversation before Mira looked at Kate. Jim never understood why the sixers the were more comfortable confiding in Kate than him. But then

"A couple of months ago" Mira said.

"A couple of months? Why didn't you come to us sooner?" Kate asked in disbelief.

"because who would care about a few missing Sixers" Mira said it was true the colonists wouldn't have cared but Kate, Taylor and Jim were duty bound to keep the colony safe. They would have investigated it but obviously Mira didn't believe so.

"I would, I'm duty bound to maintain the safety of this colony and it's inhabitants. Now I need you to tell me everything you know about your missing friends. When they went missing the last location you saw them. Their real identities who they are and what they did, everything so that we can try and find them" Kate said.

"How is it relevant who they really are?" Carter asked sceptically.

"6 sixers out of 10 possible victims that's a common thread. You're obviously being targeted but what reason I don't know but I need more proof to convince Taylor" Kate said.

"Actually it's 7 out of 10" Mira said carefully.

"Who?" Jim asked.

"Goldman was sixer sympathiser. She never passed intel but if we were in need of food or meds she's help us on occasion" Carter said supplying the information.

"What about Xiong?" Jim asked.

"No, I don't even know who she is" Carter said.

"Ok, lets get down your missing people when did they start disappearing? Exact dates" Kate said.

* * *

"Ok we have 8 people unaccounted for. Two confirmed dead. From what I've been told it's been at least over the space of the last two months. There appears to be no set pattern and until we find the other missing people we can't speculate that it's one person or a group" Kate said as she transferred the data onto the large screen above the conference table.

"Ok any common threads?" Taylor asked as he looked up at the screen.

"Yes these 5 are sixers and 1 is a sixer sympathiser. The other 2 were currently working on Lucas's and Evan's work with the terminus and calculations relating to the fracture." Kate said.

"Are we sure the two scientist deaths are related to the disappearing sixers? We have no clues as to what happened with the sixers that disappeared. They could have gone walking in the jungle at night and met with a Carno" Guzman said.

"I doubt that" Kate said.

"Why?" Taylor asked as he wanted to understand Kate's thought processes.

"One missing sixer sure that's just bad luck but 5 gone missing that's just odd. I think they are dead. Mira wouldn't lie about her people going missing" Kate said.

"Ok you sound like you have a theory. Entertain us" Taylor said.

"If you take in the messages that the perpetrator wrote. The Sixers are killed as the 'sacrifice' along with the other two would be to stop the portal from being reopened. Keeping us separated from the future and removing the sixers from the colony will make this place the second chance for humanity as it's supposed to be" Kate said.

"Well a person or persons could assume all the sixers and the scientist who want the portal open are allied with the sixers so they are one common enemy" Taylor said.

"But we are going to close the portal" Guzman said.

"But the colony doesn't know that." Kate pointed out.

* * *

Late at night in a house on the west side of the colony,

"Ok, evidence of the following has been provided to the table. Verdicts?" A man in his early twenties wearing a soldier's uniform with cold eyes asked as he looked at the other 4 occupants at the dining table.

"Guilty" A woman in her 50's with greying hair said as she sat proud and firm in her decision.

"Guilty" A man in his mid 40's said as he slouched in his chair sharpening his blade looking bored as to why they had to go through all the proceedings when the verdicts were always the same.

"Guilty" Murmured another woman as she kept her head bowed her eyes filled with tears not of remorse but grief from the pain of knowing these people were going unpunished while her loved ones were rotting in Memorial field.

"Guilty" the last woman who held a plex in her hands said as they all looked to the young soldier.

"Guilty. The vote is unanimous. The sentence is death. I'll contact some friends. Next case" The soldier said at the head of the table, the woman who voted second last made a note in her plex and opened the next personnel file.

"Kate Renshaw" The woman with the plex read.

"What?" the meek woman who had head bowed said, she looked shocked that such a name would be on the list.

"Can I personally do that one? I like a challenge" the man with the knife said his eyes glowed with excitement and bloodlust.

"No, you're the reason our work have come on Taylor's radar. Security has beefed up due to the last two messes you left… what was with the messages?" The young soldier said.

"Throw them off the trail. That dumb cop will chasing religious nuts that don't exist for weeks and anyway you all wanted them dead and I got the job done what's the problem?" he replied, he was a man who obviously enjoyed people's pain.

"Your Methods. We agreed that all the deaths have to look like natural causes. What are the charges?" the young soldier said.

"Multiple counts of murder, colluding with the enemy-" the woman with the plex said only to be cut off by the man with the knife.

"She helped the sixers clean up the Phoenix soldiers." He said.

"But then she brought that filth back into the colony. We all know filth only breeds more filth" The older woman spat with disgust.

"But we can't kill her Taylor and the Sheriff will hunt us down" the meek woman said with fear in her eyes.

"Taylor gave us a waiver to give all the people on this list a fair trial by peers and serve out the punishment. So who will defend Miss Renshaw?" The young soldier said.

"Mommy?" a little boy said.

They all turned and the man with the knife cursed as the woman with the plex turned around to look at the little boy.

"Nicky? What are you doing up?" She asked as she placed the plex on the table.

"I woked up cause of the noise. Who are you shouting at?" the little boy asked as he rubbed his eye looking incredibly tired.

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't realise we were talking so loudly, you need anything?" she said as she moved from her chair and felt his forehead for a temp happy the fever was going down. The little boy shook his head but was confused as there was no one but his mother in the living area. "Well come on let's get you back to bed"

"Maybe you should read him a bedtime story" the man with the knife said sarcastically, the woman who was holding her son's hand turned and gave him a glare.

"Mommy" the little boy said tugging on his mother's hand as she glared at the empty dining table. His mother looked down at him and gave a warm smile.

"Sorry darling, some people have no manners. Let's get you back into bed" she said as she took him back to his room.

* * *

_TBC~ Cya all in a few days :-)_


	41. Chapter 41

_A/N: sorry sorry... bad week for sleep makes brains juices slow... Anyways! thankyou for the reviews and as always Enjoy!_

* * *

"Dr Wallace" Evan said in surprise as he had looked up from the soldering work he was currently engaged in for a brief break to see Malcolm standing by one of the pillars looking around Evan's lab space and the Terminus.

"Malcolm, you lived in my house for a month I think the formalities can be dropped" Malcolm said as he moved around the area to get a closer look at things.

"Ok, what can I do for you?" Evan asked he didn't mind Malcolm as a boss as the man pretty much left him to do his work in peace. He only stopped by once or twice a week but there was never any pressure for him to hurry up with his work and Malcolm was always keen to listen and offer advice instead of telling what to do which Evan truly appreciated as he hated back seat drivers.

"I'm just passing by decided to see how you were progressing" Malcolm said as he looked down at the new circuitry board Evan was constructing. Evan put down his soldering tool and gave a nod as he sat up looking at Malcolm as he spoke.

"Oh ok well I'm about 60% completed. You did a good job frying this circuitry" Evan commented. He watched the older man have no real recollection of how, when or why which was quite remarkable but then Amnesia did that to people. He often worried about Kate and Malcolm as she had the history of their relationship and Malcolm was like a blank slate but they appeared to be doing well. Even with Kate's humour sometimes being taken a little too seriously by Malcolm.

"Yes, I did" Malcolm said awkwardly as he hated not remembering the reasons behind such decisions without referring to his journal. Sure he had read the journals and knew the reasons but the emotions and drive behind said decisions he didn't feel so he felt he couldn't really own them. With exception of Kate where his emotions were anything but platonic and he did in a way own her but then she equally owned him. He just wished he could tell her he loved her but the words did not feel right, he cared deeply about her and knew he was slowly falling in love with her but he couldn't say the words yet.

"Either way another few weeks I should have it repaired but it's going to be useless without the updated software to tether the portal and keep our end closed" Evan told Malcolm who folded his arms and gave the situation some thought.

"Yes, with the unfortunate deaths of Dr Xiong and Goldman you will have to work with Lucas Taylor to do that as he is the only other person in the colony with a true grasp and understanding of theoretical physics" Malcolm said matter of factorily. Evan made a face and gave a resigned sigh.

"I was afraid you'd say that. I'll finish the repairs and then approach Taylor about having a meeting with Lucas to finish the project" Evan said a conversation he was not looking forward to. Malcolm opened his mouth to say he'd talk to Taylor for him but was interrupted.

"Dr Wallace, oh my goodness did we have an appointment today?" Haynes asked Malcolm turned to the woman and tried to hide his annoyance as she really grated on his nerves, she was also entirely too over friendly and always touching him. He had hoped the wedding ring would be a deterrant but apparently it was not.

"No I was just passing through" Malcolm said.

"Checking up on Dr Washington? You should be careful as your colleagues were murdered you're probably next" Haynes said to Evan like it was news to all of them.

"Thanks" Evan replied dryly as he didn't need reminding but so far he had been careful and used the overkill home security measures Kate taught him such as moving furniture around closer to the back door rearranging food in the cupboards and memorising the arrangement and his spaces or in his case taking a photo and making sure everything was still in it's place when he got home. He felt like a crazy person for doing it but it did comfort him. He also kept all the blinds closed at night so no one could watch him and the kids, he knew it was just temporary.

"Oh I'm just saying that word is that the sixers and anyone related to reopening the portal are getting killed. That the Commander and the Sheriff have no leads to who is doing it" Haynes said as she touched his arm.

"Idle gossip but I appreciate the heads up" Evan said dryly as he wished the labs had doors as Dr Haynes was always popping in and annoying him in her version of flirting. Unless Malcolm was in the room then he was safe, it was probably because Malcolm was closer to her age while Evan was younger than her.

"Speaking of Dr Wallace this roll call every morning and afternoon is a bit excessive don't you think?" Haynes asked. She made it sound like they all gathered as a group and Malcolm physically counted them like a flock of sheep when all he did was wait for all his people to send a message at 9am and 5pm announcing they were still alive and their location. It wasn't like he was taking up time from their work and it was for their own safety.

"It's not my call. Commander Taylor wants it done and frankly if he hadn't instituted it I would have myself. We are a small colony and I can't afford to lose anymore scientists" Malcolm said though he like Evan felt it wouldn't be so bad if they lost Haynes along the way.

* * *

"Storm's coming in early today" Kate commented as she looked at the brooding clouds in the sky it was marking the end of summer. She could smell the rain and knew in the next hour it was going be pouring down rain.

"Yeah apparently it will be raining the next few days" Jim commented as he too looked at the sky for a moment.

"Joy" Kate said dryly before she continued "So Malcolm said he didn't check in this morning and usually he's the funniest of them all with his message and always on time." Kate said as they were walking Dr Fogarty's house. He had a great sense of humour and the craziest hair like he hadn't seen a comb in his life. He was always good for a few laughs and for compliments as he hit on everything.

"I suggest you take the front door and I'll take the back, try a couple of knocks if there's no reply then go in" Jim said as he knew Fogarty was the only person they knew who wouldn't throw a fit at them just walking into his house unannounced in fact he'd probably make them sit down for a cup of coffee and a chat.

"Ok" Kate said.

"So is the olfactory picking up anything today?" Jim asked quietly as they reached the house.

"No, actually I don't even smell you" Kate said looking at him curiously as she had just noticed his man stink was not lingering. She wasn't game to lean in further and try her luck but it was nice to smell his man stink.

"I washed in hunter's no-scent soap and I'm wearing no cologne. The things I do for you" Jim said with an amused smile.

"It's appreciated" Kate said before they split up. Kate unholstered her gun and waited as Jim went around the back. She counted down to five and then pounded on the door. "Hey Foggers!" Kate called through the door. She pounded on the door again "Open up dude! you missed your check in" Kate said as she punched in the override code. She turned the door handle and kicked the door open and with her gun raised.

But she was too late as she heard the sound of a sonic pulse blast she looked to the source and saw the back door was opened and Jim was lying on the ground.

"Damnit, Jim! Are you ok?" She asked him as she ran to him. Jim groaned as he nodded.

"Trackstar. Go" He said as he pushed himself up off the ground and pointed in the direction of a running figure. Kate nodded and took off after the figure. Jim held his chest as he watched Kate running off in the distance chasing another figure towards the agriculture fields.

He pulled out his comm and called for back up to help Kate and a medical team to the house. He just hoped they weren't too late for Fogarty.

* * *

Kate ran and fired a couple of sonic blasts at the person she was chasing hoping to slow them down but they were too far away for the blast to have any effect. Her muscles burned from the exertion as she expended the energy, they had been running for a good 10 minutes and ended up in one of the large crop fields of what looked to be corn.

After a few turns and weaves Kate lost the suspect, she stopped to listen for movement indicative of someone running through the crops bashing the branches but heard nothing but the thunder above and the light rustle of wind.

Kate looked down at the ground and pulled out a terra and tossed on the ground next to a clear foot tread and used her comm. to take a picture before she followed them.

"Kate come in" Jim said over the comm. line. She winced at how loud it was as it was practically a beacon to her location.

"I'm here but I lost the suspect and the rain is about to wash away the tracks" Kate said as a rain drop hit her nose.

"Come to the command centre, I'm looking at the field you're in and there's no heat signatures close to you the suspect is gone" Jim said.

"On my way" Kate said, she pocketed her comm. and holstered her gun before turning on her feet and heading back to the command centre she just hoped she got there before the sky opened up and dumped rain on her and the colony.

* * *

"Apparently he was drugged with the same toxin as the other two victims. Liz said that once they have flushed the toxin out of his system he should be able to tell us what happened that's if he didn't suffer any permenant brain damage from oxygen deprivation. There was no evidence in the house to identify the woman who shot me and ran off" Jim told Taylor. They were standing undercover on the balcony watching as the rain came down hard outside. Jim held his side as he couldn't believe his luck to be shot.

"You get cleared?" Taylor asked looking at Jim.

"Yeah just a few broken ribs. It could have been worse" Jim said which was true if the woman's pistol had been on a higher setting he'd been dead from the shot to the chest.

"Did you get a good look at the culprit?" Taylor asked Jim.

"Yeah she runs like the freaking wind" Kate said catching her breath as she came around to where Taylor and Jim were. She stood back slightly as she was drenched to the bone and had left a trail of water behind her.

"You want a towel?" Taylor asked her as he was ready to move inside and get her one but she shook her head.

"No, I'm going to be rude and tell you what I know and head home" Kate said.

"Ok" Taylor said with an amused expression.

"What did you see?" Jim asked Kate.

"Not enough to ID her but I did get a photo of her shoe print roughly a size six or seven maybe but her shoes are terra nova tread" Kate said which meant work boots that every single person in the colony had a pair of in their house.

"Did Fogarty make it?" Kate asked Jim.

"Yeah he's alive but it will take some time for him to become conscious, Taylor has posted a couple of soldiers just in case she tries to finish off what she started" Jim told her, Kate nodded as she took the information in.

"She is the cat's mother" Kate remarked with a small smile.

"Until we have a name 'she' works. I didn't get a good ID before I was blasted in the chest all I can tell you is that she was about 5'6 5'7' maybe. Caucasian, dark brown hair but that's it" Jim said as he hated not knowing who this woman was and where the other sixers had disappeared. There were no real leads and too many possible victims to put protection details on them all.

"Ok did we find anything else?" Taylor asked.

"No, looks like we are back to square one as Brunette, caucasian, runs like the wind, roughly 5'6, 5'7.. size six boot size doesn't exactly narrow it down" Jim said.

"If it helps we can rule out Maddy, Elisabeth, Mira and Alicia as they all have shoes sizes above seven and any woman above the height of 5ft 8" Kate said being a smart ass.

"That's isn't helpful" Taylor said pursing his lips so as to show how amused he was that Kate knew Alicia's shoe size let alone Mira's. He knew Kate's humour was just a form of deflection so no one would ask her how she feeling in the mess of it all as she was seen as a sixer sympathiser as she negotiated their surrender and subsequent return to the colony.

"The point being is that we are getting closer and we saved the latest victim. Hopefully he'll wake up and be able to tell us something. You know she's going to be singing that song right now"

"What song?" Taylor asked.

"I shot the sheriff but I didn't shoot no deputy" Kate said singing the line with a smile on her face before she chuckled.

"That is not funny" Jim told her wincing in pain.

"It kinda is. Now if you two excuse me. I am cold and soaked to the bone I'm going home to dry off before I catch my death" Kate said, she turned on her feet and walked away not even waiting to be dismissed.

"That's not funny either!" Jim called out to her as she gave a wave as she took off into the rain. He shook his head and looked at Taylor.

"She really doesn't understand the command structure and who's the boss here" Jim said as Kate was good at the following orders and being a team player when it counted but sometimes Jim felt like he was answering to her when it was supposed to be the other way round.

"She understands she chooses to ignore it" Taylor said.

* * *

"That was close" he whispered in her ear as she closed the door and dropped the gun and cup she had been holding to the floor as she leaned her back against it catching her breath. She slid to the floor ignoring him as he sat next to her with his knife sharpening it as always did. "I think that deputy got a good look at you" he added.

"No, if she did then I'd be in cuffs right now. So go away" she told him as she looked down at the cup on the floor. She had taken it from the house so they wouldn't have her fingerprints or DNA. She couldn't believe how close she had gotten to being caught, she had shot the sheriff and now she was exhausted and wanted to be left alone.

"I can't leave you. We need to finish the job and clean up the mess you made as you are absolutely hopeless at killing people. Poison is slow and ineffective means of murdering someone. Now using a knife is an art." he told her.

"He was nearly dead if they had come an hour later everything would be fine" She told him.

"It you had slit his throat then we wouldn't have anything to worry about" he snapped angrily.

"He was barely breathing I doubt he will survive from the oxygen deprivation and even so if he does I will have to finish him off in the infirmary. I have a shift three days from now I'll find a way" She told him.

"If you don't finish him off I will" he whispered her.

"Then we will get caught for sure and we will never finish the list. How do you think the others will take that?" She asked as she looked him directly in the eyes for a moment before turning away as she couldn't stand the blood lust in his eyes.

"Fine, but just remember if your plan for the deputy fails then it's my turn to take over" he whispered in her ear, making her shiver in disgust as she knew he would not show Deputy Renshaw any mercy.

* * *

"You know when you said we'll continue this conversation later. I figured it would be later that day not a week and a half later" Alicia said as she lifted the twins out of the baby carrier she had been wearing and placed them on the blanket Kate had laid down on grass of her backyard a few days later.

Kate had invited her over for afternoon tea but with the weather so nice and the sun was out and shining after a couple days of nonstop rain.

Alicia definitely wasn't complaining as she got out of her house and a change of scenery. Taylor had become incredibly overbearing with protecting her and the twins to the point he was working from home and when he left there was always a guard. It was ridiculous as no threats had been against Taylor or herself. As far as the investigation had shown it was the sixers who had to look out for themselves as they were being targeted.

"I know it's all this drama with the sixers going on and Malcolm getting in the way" Kate said as she carried a pot of tea out and placed it on the grass before sitting down with a sigh.

"What has he done now?" Alicia asked.

"Nothing. He's worried about this serial killer business and the fact Jim copped a sonic pulse to the chest he thinks it micht happen to me" Kate said with the wave of a dismissive hand. "I carry a gun and I'm not even a person of interest to the killer" she added but to Alicia it sounded like Kate was trying to convince herself that she wouldn't be targeted and that she was safe.

"I'm worried about you and Evan" Alicia admitted, Evan was the project leader for the Terminus repairs and everything precluding to the portal. It made him a target just as much as Kate was one as many people assumed she was allied with the sixers as she helped negotiate their terms of surrender which allowed them to return to the colony. she worried her number would come up.

"I know I'm worried about Evan as well. I offered him a gun but he wouldn't take it" Kate said as she poured out two cups of tea.

"Evan is a bit like Malcolm in regards to guns" Alicia said Kate rolled her eyes which made Alicia smile as the two were definitely a different couple from what they previously were. They were definitely more volatile as Malcolm hadn't learned the art of picking the 'right' fight or being more accepting something that he must of acquired through his five years in Terra Nova but they were both still very commited to one another and most of the fights were just tiff nothing that made Alicia worry about their future as a couple.

"Don't get me started on that one. Every time I walk through the door he's telling me to put my gun in the safe before I do anything else. I'll be right back" Kate said getting up off the ground.

"Bathroom again?" Alicia asked her incredulously.

"Shut up" Kate said as she ran back into the house. Alicia chuckled as it was the third time Kate had disappeared to answer 'nature's call' as Kate put it since Alicia had arrived. She found it amusing to no longer have those issue and watch Kate suffer through it as she had teased Alicia mercilessly about being pregnant and the 'joys'.

She turned to the twins and smiled softly as they were peacefully sleeping. She picked up the cup of tea and enjoyed the outside air and the sunshine as she took a couple sips of her tea testing the temperature before drinking more. It was a delicious blend and made note to ask Kate what it was when she returned.

It wasn't until she had drained half the cup that she frowned as all feeling fled from her fingers. The cup fell from her hand, tea spilling on the blanket as Alicia felt her body grow numb as she struggled to breathe.

Kate dried her hands before she left the bathroom and cursed the half a litre of water she had consumed that morning as it was apparently running straight out of her. She walked out to the back veranda and saw Alicia lying on the ground and smiled as she stepped down to join her.

"You seriously asleep? I heard twins were tiring but-" Kate stopped as she noted the spilt tea and Alicia's panicked expression as she desperately tried to breathe. "Alicia, talk to me" Kate said as she dropped to her knees and elevated Alicia into an upright position in the hopes of helping her breathe. Alicia wheezed as her breathing improved but not enough to speak. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as lack of oxygen overtook her.

Kate laid Alicia back down and felt for pulse feeling it slow dramatically within the space of seconds. She pulled out her comm. and called for a medical team before she started CPR.

* * *

Taylor raced to Kate's house just in time to see his wife being loaded up into one of the rhinos with medical staff. He went into the house and found Kate in the living area with the twins on the lounge. She was looking out of it while Jim was out in the backyard with Malcolm.

"What happened?" Taylor asked her gently. She looked up at him and looked speechless for a moment before answering.

"I ah went to the loo when I came back she was having difficulty breathing and I called it in. I think it was the tea" Kate said slightly spaced out as she was in a mixed state of shock and disbelief.

"Did you drink any of the tea?" Taylor asked her, Kate shook her head.

"No, I didn't. I'm so sorry" Kate told him he could see the guilt written on her face as her eyes filled with tears. He couldn't understand why she would feel that way, he sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder making her look at him.

"You have nothing to apologise for it wasn't your fault. Look I'm going to go outside for second and then to the infirmary. Do you think you and Malcolm could watch the twins for a few hours?" he asked her, Kate nodded as she tried to keep a rein on her emotions.

"Yeah definitely" Kate said after she cleared her throat and quickly wiped her eyes before the tears fell. Taylor gave her a kind smile.

"Good, you know the code to our house let yourselves in. There's food if you two get hungry and milk for the peanuts. I also recommend that tomorrow you toss everything in your cupboards and fridge" Taylor told her, Kate nodded before she looked to the twins who were awake and wriggling their arms and legs. It was amusing to watch as their muscle control was still developing. He watched for a moment before he got up and left her.

He went out to the back veranda watched Malcolm was siphoning tea into portable test tubes to have them tested with Jim standing nearby talking to him. Jim noted Taylor's presence and excused himself walked to Taylor's side.

"Malcolm's taking samples of tea looks like the food was untouched. I asked Kate about the tea and she said it was her usual tea canister and that she assumed Malcolm had filled up for her yesterday. But Malcolm says he didn't buy the tea, he was going to do it tomorrow."Jim said.

"So the tea got into the canister of it's own accord. Did you check the doors for tampering?" Taylor asked.

"Yes, someone accessed the house at 2am this morning using a skeleton key as there was no ID attached to the log in in the logs" Jim said.

"That's a bold move, I'm amazed Kate didn't wake up" Taylor said as Kate woke up to the slightest noise in the house unless she heavily sedated. Jim gave a shrug.

"She's more fatigued of late from the pregnancy. It could be messing with her 'spidey' senses and hence she didn't wake her up." Jim said offering it as an explanation before he added "She's taking this pretty hard"

"I know, keep me posted I'm going to go check on Wash. Tell Malcolm, Kate will be at my house with the twins so he knows where she'll be" Taylor said, Jim gave a nod before going back to talk with Malcolm. Taylor went back into touched Kate on the shoulder, she looked up at him.

"Let's take the girls over to my place now" Taylor said, Kate nodded as she wrapped up the girls in their separate swaddle blankets and passed one up to Taylor before picking the other in her arms and getting to her feet.

"Where's the bag?" Taylor asked.

"By the door" Kate said as she adjusted the twin in her arms.

* * *

"Commander" Elisabeth said in greeting when Taylor came into the infirmary, he had helped Kate feed and settle the twins before Malcolm arrived. He posted two guards out the front and when Malcolm came he left feeling better that Kate wouldn't be alone in the house. He also figured waiting it out at home with the twins would give Elisabeth and her team the space and time to help Alicia without his presence adding undue pressure.

"How is she?" Taylor asked as he looked at Alicia who was lying on a bio bed, she was hooked up to an IV drip and vitals monitor. Her skin was sickly pale as she laid unnaturally still. He felt his stomach churn as she looked like she was dead. He would have assumed as much if the heart monitor wasn't beeping indicating she still had a pulse.

"Alicia looks worse than she is. "Elisabeth said noting his concerned look at Alicia's appearance "She's stable, luckily she didn't have the same concentrations as Fogarty. So we were able to flush all of the toxins from her system before it could do any permanent damage. She'll be fine but weak for a few days as her system rights itself" Elisabeth said. Dr Fogarty who had been poisoned with the same toxin had slipped into a coma and was showing no signs of waking up anytime soon.

"When will she wake up?" Taylor asked.

"Not for another hour or two but even so I want to keep her in here for a couple of days at least to make sure everything checks out. Even so be prepared she will be incredibly weak for the next few days" Elisabeth told him.

"Thank you Doc" Taylor said as he moved to the bed and pulled up a chair and sat down by Alicia's side taking her hand in his.

* * *

"We're going to have to throw out everything and wash all of our wares and change the locks" Malcolm said as he paced the kitchen. He had been doing so for the past half an hour since Taylor left venting all his concerns and frustrations over the day's events. Kate had sat at the dining table listening to him vent and allowing him to get it out of his system as she was still stunned her best friend had almost died because of her. She should have heard the intruder, she should have double checked the locks and the list went on and on as she found fault after fault in her routines that had become sloppy and thanks to her lapse in discipline Alicia was lying in the infirmary.

"Taylor said the same thing" Kate said as she watched him pace, she didn't know where he found the energy.

"Kate what if it were you who drank that tea-"

"Don't I'm not lucky. Alicia is in the infirmary because me. Because I affliated myself with sixers. I negotiated their surrender and return to the colony. I brought Lucas back from the jungle to continue the project it's all my fault. This woman snapped because of something I started" Kate said Malcolm paused in pacing looking at how guilty Kate felt about the whole situation at hand.

He moved to the table and sat down on the chair beside hers and leaned on his arms so he could lean his head to get her attention. He had been so wrapped in what could have happened to Kate and their unborn child he wasn't paying attention to the present woman.

"Kate, you were just an instigator if you didn't do it someone else would have made it happen. Probably Jim he has a way of meddling in things not to say you are a meddler but you did what you had to at the time for personal reasons. Taylor and Mira put you the middle person to their issues, you didn't seek that position. None of this is your fault" he told her as he looked at her, she looked down at the table not making eye contact.

"I'm so tired" she told him dejectedly.

"Why don't you go lie down" he told her as he rubbed her back in a soothing gesture.

"No, I'm tired of this-" Kate stopped midsentence as a soft cry of a baby made Kate get up from the table and move to the crib that had been rolled from the bedroom to the lounge room for ease. Malcolm wanted to her to finish her sentence but knew better than to

"Hey munchkin" Kate said as she picked up the crying Ella and cradled the baby with a natural ease he was entirely too envious of as he was rubbish with children which he hoped would change when they had their kid.

"What's the matter? Huh? you hungry?" Kate asked the baby that kept wailing until Kate placed her knuckle in the baby's mouth for a moment. "Apparently you are, ok we'll get you something keep your diaper on" she told the baby as it continued to cry.

Malcolm watched Kate entered a whole different mental state humming a tune he didn't recognise as she walked to the kitchen and held onto the baby with one arm and pulled a bottle of milk from the fridge warming it up and then feeding the milk to the baby, all the while talking to the baby as if it would reply. He had to admit he liked seeing her with a baby in her arms. He couldn't wait to see her with their child the realisation struck him hard at how strongly he felt that desire even knowing now in roughly 6 months from happening. Kate looked up from the baby she was holding and they locked eyes for a moment before she gave him a smile.

"You want to have a hold?" Kate asked him after she burped the baby and cleaned up stray milk that didn't make it into the baby's mouth or was spat back up. She moved toward him with the baby and a mischievous grin on her face. Malcolm had purposely been avoiding this scenario for weeks as he had never held a baby in his life. Animal/Insect younglings, yes. But a human baby, no. The last thing he wanted to do was break the Commander's baby.

"She's just eaten, it's probably not wise" Malcolm said shaking his head.

"It makes it the perfect time as Ella is sated. look she's asleep already how can it go wrong" Kate said as she showed that Ella was indeed blissfully asleep.

"Will you finish what you're saying if I hold her"

"Bargaining?" Kate asked him in amusement.

"I might drop her" He said nervously as she sat down next to him with the baby in her arms.

"You won't, now come on, you got nothing to worry about. Babies bounce" Kate assured him which made his eyes go wide as she said it so seriously that it sounded like she dropped them all the time. "I'm kidding, now take her" Kate said as she held the baby to him forcing him to take her. Malcolm took the baby and awkwardly cradled her in his arms. It was incredibly foriegn and frankly uncomfortable.

"See it's not so bad, you can move her around until you both find a comfortable spot. Just make sure you support the head. There you go" Kate said stepping back and looking at Malcolm. She couldn't help but smile at how uncomfortable he was holding the baby. It took him a few moments before he shifted the baby was upright with her head was on his shoulder, her little hands grasping the fabric of his shirt.

"Just so you know I've never held a baby in my life"

"Seriously?" Kate asked him.

"Yes, now what do I do?"

"Just relax, they can smell fear and don't jiggle her" Kate told him with a mischievous chuckle as she watched him. Malcolm held the baby but didn't feel the affinity he had seen Kate or the others who had held the babies shared. If anything he felt like putting the baby down as he wasn't really getting the fascination.

"Will you finish what you were saying?" he asked as he silently hoped the baby wouldn't wake up and cry. Kate got up from her chair and moved to the kitchen.

"It's nothing"

"It's not nothing otherwise you wouldn't have said it"

"I'm tired ok, I'm tired of always being in the crosshairs wondering when my number is up. I just want to live a quiet and normal life sans the danger of psycho killers, wars etc." Kate told him throwing her hands up in the air.

"Then quit"

"Quit?"

"Yes as long as you're a deputy you'll always be a target. How about this as a compromise. Take a year off and just do whatever you want that doesn't involve you being a deputy while helping me raise our child. I know you are a deputy because you want to do your part and you're good at it but that doesn't mean you can't do something else" Malcolm said. Kate who had been looking upset and completely out of sorts smiled an amused smile. He wondered what she was smiling about as it wasn't his suggestion, that he knew because he felt something warm trickle down the arm of his shirt.

"Tell me she's drooling" Malcolm said as Kate covered her smile with a hand.

"I can't lie" Kate said as she tried hard not to laugh, she picked up one of the clean baby towels from the bench and cleaned Ella up before taking her off Malcolm.

"Oh that is disgusting" he said as he looked at his sleeve, he took the towel from Kate and moved to the Kitchen sink to clean the rest of the vomit off his shirt sleeve. Kate on the other hand found entirely amusing as she laughed.

"It's hilarious I'm sure Ella isn't the first female to throw up on you or the last" Kate said as she watched him.

"Mmm no Elisabeth threw up on my shoes after a night of beer and pizza when we were 18. I had to throw out my favourite shoes they were that ruined" Malcolm said.

"Well your shirt will survive as a run through the wash will rid it of any evidence of the spit up" Kate said with a smile before she looked down at Ella. "You feel better kiddo?" Kate asked Ella as the baby slowly went to sleep.

"That is not fair, I hold her and I get vomited on, you hold her and she goes to sleep" Malcolm complained.

"I have that effect on small animals and children." Kate said with a smug smile as she moved to the crib and placed Ella down next to her sister who was still out like a light. Ava was the definitely had the easier disposition as Alicia had been trying to get the twins on some kind of schedule. Ava apparently the twin who happily went with the program while Ella made her own schedule. Kate was amazed at how two babies so young could already have individual traits. She leaned over the crib and double checked the twins were not too hot or cold in the crib before Malcolm stood behind her wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her back upright.

"Something I'm very envious of" he said as he placed a kiss on her nape. Kate smiled as she leaned back into his body for warmth and comfort. "I'm going to change my shirt and then we can rummage through Taylor's cupboards for an afternoon snack" he said after a moment passed.

"I like the sound of that. I'm starving" Kate said with a smile.

* * *

_TBC~ Cya all hopefully well rested and with more!_


	42. Chapter 42

_A/N: Yay! Update! Sorry for my tardiness *inserts excuses of weddings and scatterbrain and tumblr taking over .. in here*... Thank you for your patience and reviews! Enjoy the update!_

* * *

"Ok, yeah of course Malcolm and I will stay with the kids while you wait for Alicia to wake up." Kate said over her comm. She sat Ava on her hip and walked around the house the movement seemed to quieten the little girl down as she had woken up crying. Kate figured it was the fact that Ava knew Kate and Malcolm were not her parents and she wanted her real mother and father.

_"It could take all night. Is that Ella?"_ Taylor asked as Ava made a whingy noise as Kate had stopped moving for a mere second disturbing Ava's version of serenity.

"No, Ava she woke up half hour ago. She's fine just a little fussy" Kate assured him on her comm. amazed he could hear the baby as she continued swaying on the spot with Ava on her arm like a Koala.

_"Where's Malcolm?_" Taylor asked.

"He's cooking dinner, you want to talk with him?" Kate asked as Malcolm looked over his shoulder at the mention of his name.

_"No, you sure you two can handle the twins?"_

"Yes. We'll be fine, just keep us posted on Alicia's progress" Kate said as she moved around the house.

_"Will do, Taylor out" _

Kate placed the comm. unit on the dining table and walked over to Malcolm with a smile as he was cooking a stir fry at the stove top. He noted her presence and looked down at Ava like she were a ticking time bomb which made Kate want to laugh.

"Everything alright with Alicia?" he asked.

"Yeah, they were able to flush the toxin from her system before it did any permanent damage. Taylor wants to stay with her until she wakes up and asked if we'd take care of the twins for the night. You don't mind do you?" Kate asked him as she swayed on her feet staying in one spot she was glad she wasn't one prone to motion sickness otherwise she would not be in a happy place.

"Of course I don't mind" he said as stirred the ingredients in the pan.

"You ok?" Kate asked him as she ran her free hand down his arm. He seemed to be deep in thought about something and she wished fervently she could know what was on his mind.

"Perfectly fine and to be honest I'm glad we're here than at our place" he said.

"I'm sorry" she said.

"Stop apologising. We'll be fine and dinner will be ready in 5 minutes" he informed her.

* * *

Alicia stirred awake a few hours later and felt like she had been hit by a transport truck her body felt so heavy and sore. She looked around noting vaguely it was night time and she was in the infirmary. Then she remembered what happened she tried to sit up but felt hands on her shoulders gently pushing her back down.

"Relax, you're ok" She heard Taylor said and that's when her eyes focussed on him. She hadn't noticed he was standing over her in the low lighting until that moment.

"Wha-" She started to say but Taylor cut her off.

"You were poisoned with a paralytic drug. You'll be fine just a little sluggish for the next couple of days. So you have to take it easy" he told her.

"Where are the twins? And Kate is she ok?" She asked him as she hated it when he told her to 'take it easy'. She had nearly died and now she was in the infirmary and couldn't feel her toes and her other limbs were tingling like they had pins and needles.

"Kate's fine and the twins are safe at home with four guards, Kate and Malcolm" Taylor assured her as he moved closer to the bed so they could talk in low whispers.

"Malcolm? That's comforting" Alicia said dryly as she smiled to show she was joking.

"I see you haven't lost your sense of humour" Taylor said with a smile as he gazed at her.

"You should go home and be with them" Alicia said as she lifted her hand to nudge him only for Taylor to misinterpret it as he took it in his and interlaced their fingers. She sighed as the innocent gesture was more comforting than she thought.

"I'm not leaving you and the twins can live without us for one night. Anyway it will give Malcolm and Kate some practice" He said with a smile. Alicia nodded as she didn't have the energy to argue with him. He looked down at her with such genuine care she just wanted to bask in it as he stroked his thumb up and down her jaw line in a soothing manner with his free hand. "I was scared when the call came in and that you were being taken to the infirmary" he confessed.

"I hope you didn't come down on Kate too hard" Alicia said as she felt her insides warm at his confession. Taylor shook his head.

"No, It wasn't her fault. Anyway I wasn't going to tear her to pieces in her current state. She's taking it hard as it is with now being a target and that the perpetrator got into the house and planted the tea while Kate and Malcolm were asleep." Taylor told her, Alicia frowned as she truly felt for Kate. The woman prided herself on being able to protect herself and being invincible with her training to know someone crept into her house and poisoned her tea proved that she wasn't invincible.

"What are we going to do?" Alicia asked like she actually had an active role in what would happen the next few days. But she wanted to know.

"Kate and Malcolm's house will refitted with new security systems and all edible stuff tossed. Other than that there isn't much we can do until we catch the perpetrator" Taylor told her.

"Are we getting those upgrades?"

"Yes"

"Do we get to lose the guard detail?"

"No"

"But I'm not a target and neither are you"

"Not yet and I refuse to take the chance. Please don't argue with me about this" he said in a pleading voice.

"I know. Pick my battles carefully" Alicia told him.

"I love you Wash" he said sincerely as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her temple, she gave another sigh as she wanted more. "I should go get a doctor" he said but Alicia shook her head.

"No, just stay with me" she told him.

* * *

"You got the wrong woman. Lt Washington has yet to be tried for her crimes" The young soldier said from his usual seat at the table as did the others while Caetano sat at the end of the table and held her head in her hands.

"Who cares they all end up guilty" The man with the knife said.

"There is a process" The older woman at the table said.

"She survived, so can we get back to the problem at hand" the meek woman said.

"Yes, our activities have become noticed. The sixers had banded together and now Deputy Renshaw has yet to be executed but now realises she is next. She will be prepared. Taylor will up security around her like she's made of precious metal" The young soldier said.

"Perhaps we should pull back and take a cooling period and allow everything to calm down. They don't know who we are or have any evidence to find us. I suggest we all break for a brief period and allow them to think the executions have finished." the meek woman said.

"Or we continue on and finish this. I can take the Deputy" the man with the knife said.

"I say put it to the vote. Those in favour of a cooling period" All hands went up except for one "Ok we have a cooling period I suggest at least a couple of weeks as it will give us time to regroup and think of a new attack strategy" The young soldier said.

"What about the Deputy?" the man with the knife asked.

"Her Execution is stayed for two weeks" The older woman said, the man with the knife scowled as he felt differently. He normally would have voiced his issue with an execution being stayed but decided it was time he took over the business of carrying out the executions as the others were too weak to see it through.

* * *

"Look who's a natural now" Kate said in a low voice as she watched Malcolm hold Ava and sway on his feet just as Kate had to keep the normally placid child content. She had dozed off after dinner on the lounge and woken up in the spare bedroom, it had been disorientating until she remembered where she was and got up to see what Malcolm was up to. She found him with Ava walking around the living area. She looked to the clock and noted she had been sleeping for roughly four hours and could only assume by his confidence that she had missed some diaper changes and a few good spews as Malcolm was wearing a different shirt.

"I like this one, she hasn't spewed on me yet" He told her with a smile as he noticed her watching him.

"'yet' being the operative word" Kate said with a chuckle as she came over to him and looked at little Ava who was desperately trying to stay awake but failing miserably as her tiny eyes were barely open and her eyes kept rolling like they wanted to go to sleep. Kate and Malcolm both knew if he stopped moving Ava would start crying.

"Well there is still the rest of the night and morning to go" he said when she looked back at him. He felt more confident learning the dos and don'ts of babies without someone around to witness especially Kate who was a baby whisperer.

"Fingers crossed she keeps herself contained on the vomit front?" Kate asked him as she moved to the kitchen and got herself a glass of water.

"Yes, anyway what are you doing up? You should be asleep. Are you feeling unwell?" he asked as he moved to the kitchen and placed a hand on her forehead checking her temperature.

"I'm fine, the wind woke me up" Kate said as she leaned into his hand. There was a gale blowing through the colony and the rustle of the leaves and a branch hitting the ground outside had woken her up. "Do I feel warm?" she asked him.

"No, you feel fine. Sorry, I'm just worried about you" he said as he started moving again due to Ava making small huffy noises when he stopped a signal she was going to get fussy.

"It's ok, do you want me to take over?" Kate asked.

"No, I've got the rhythm here" he said with a smug smile. Kate tilted her head and looked at Ava again but this time her little eyes were closed.

"I think she's asleep" Kate whispered as she wanted Malcolm to put the baby down and kiss her senselessy for a few minutes. She would have wondered how Taylor and Alicia managed to get a few hours of sleep and sexy time but remember their relationship was on the rocks which meant sexy time had been turned to sleep time. She hoped the two would make up and fast.

"She did that earlier but as soon as I put her down she made the huffy noises" Malcolm said as he continued to move. Kate gave him an amused smile.

"You mean you've been walking around since I feel asleep four hours ago?" she asked him.

"No just an hour. Ella spewed on me again" he said in a low voice.

"Ella ok?" Kate asked more concerned for the baby than the amusement of Malcolm being spewed on.

"Yeah I think so. She hasn't got a fever or anything and she wasn't distressed by it. So I think I just have that effect on her" Malcolm said, placed a hand over her mouth to cover her smile.

"I'm sure it has more to do with her developing stomach and oesophageal muscles than you" Kate said in an amused tone.

* * *

"I'm sick of lying around" Alicia said the next morning, she had woken up at 5am and an hour had passed and she was already bored. Taylor gave her an amused look. She shot him an annoyed look. "Can't you get a doctor and get me out of here" Alicia griped, she wanted to go home and see her girls and Kate.

"I can get you breakfast but Doc Shannon doesn't come on until 9am or would you prefer I got Dr Canzales?" Taylor asked, Alicia made a face as she hated Canzales with a passion. She once came in with a broken finger and he didn't bother looking at her finger before declaring it to be a sprain.

"No, but come on break me out of here. Kate would do it for me" Alicia said with a pout.

"I'm not Kate" Taylor told her, displeased to be compared to Kate.

"I know, I should of married her. She'd break me out of here in a heart beat, no questions asked." Alicia said matter of factorily.

"If you can get out of bed and walk to the door I'll carry you the rest of the way" he told her, Alicia's eyebrows rose at the challenge he issued. She pulled the blanket off her legs and slowly swung her legs over the bed and slid to her feet. Her body allowed her to get to her feet. She stood up and looked up at Taylor who was standing beside her.

Alicia took a deep breath before she let go of the bed for support she barely took a step when her legs gave out but Taylor caught her before she even began to fall and pulled her up against him.

"Tell me exactly how Kate would break you out of here when you can barely walk" Taylor said to her, Alicia looked up at him momentarily lost in the feel of his hard body pressed against her and his delicious scent before she spoke.

"A wheelchair if not I bet she'd piggyback me" Alicia said with a smile, Taylor reciprocated the smile before he shook his head in amusement as even he could see Kate piggybacking Alicia. He lifted her up with ease and placed her back into the bio bed and pulled the blanket back over her legs.

"Though in her current state she'd probably get Evan or Carter to do all the heavy lifting" Alicia added with a sigh as her body was completely useless in its current state. She felt she was sighing a lot and felt the overwhelming need to pull Taylor into bed with her as she really missed his touch and the sex. Now it was on her mind she was undressing the man with her eyes.

"I could see that happening" Taylor told her with a smirk completely unaware that she was no longer thinking about escaping the infirmary. She mentally shook her head of the thoughts and focussed back on her children.

"Do you think Kate and Malcolm are awake?" Alicia asked to distract her from her wayward thoughts.

"Why?" Taylor asked.

"I want them to bring the twins here" Alicia said.

"I don't know-" he started but Alicia cut him off.

"I don't know if they are awake or if they should bring the twins here?" Alicia asked in a slightly annoyed tone, wondering how he was going to control her again. The reminder killed her sex drive for him and the once mentally naked Taylor was fully clothed again.

"If they are awake" he answered "Why don't I go home and see if they are and if they are awake and twins are as well I'll send them your way as I don't think you'll be released from the infirmary today" he said.

"Thank you" Alicia said, Taylor leaned over her again but this time he kissed her goodbye on the lips in a slow and languid manner before he left with a satisfied smile on his face as Alicia was completely punch drunk from the kiss.

* * *

"Do you like sitting like this?" Kate asked Ella in a low voice as she held the little baby up so she looked sitting up on the dining table with her legs over the edge. The baby just looked at her with wide eyes just looking at her. "I think you do, I think you like me better than Uncle Malcolm too. Oh yes you do. now all you have to do is spew on your other uncles and aunts and I'll be titled 'the favourite one'. You going to smile at Aunty Kate today hmm? Maybe not" Kate mumbled as Ella just looked at her blankly. She heard the front door unlock and she looked up and watched as Taylor came into the house.

"Morning" Taylor said in a low voice as he closed the door behind him. He saw Malcolm asleep on the couch and Kate at the table with Ella he assumed Ava was in the crib.

"Hey" Kate said softly with a smile, she picked up Ella and turned the baby to face Taylor "Look who's home. It's Daddy!" she said in a soft excited voice. Taylor smiled as he moved to the table and took Ella out of Kate's hands and lifted the baby girl into his arms and kissed her forehead.

"Hey peanut, you wake up your aunt?" he asked Ella.

"No I was already awake before she started making that huffy noise your kids make before they start crying" Kate said with a smile as she looked at Taylor holding Ella. It was incredibly adorable.

"I see Malcolm is wiped" Taylor remarked.

"Yeah he stayed up pretty late walking laps of the room with Ava" Kate said her smile turning into one of a person victorious in a major battle when all she did was not spend hours walking with a baby.

"Really? Usually she sleeps most of the night" Taylor remarked as he moved Ella into a more comfortable position.

"I think she knew Malcolm and I weren't you and Alicia. Coffee?" Kate asked.

"Yes, I would love some" Taylor said as he sat down at the table with Ella. He had slept poorly in the chair by Alicia's bedside and needed the coffee to freshen up his demeanour. Kate moved to the kitchen and went to making the coffee. "Alicia is awake and already bored" he said making conversation.

"I can only imagine. If you want to I can take the twins to her and have an infirmary play date. Elisabeth can do all the baby check ups on them at the same time" Kate suggested.

"I was hoping you'd say that but no prison breaks" he told her.

"What?" Kate asked confused but then it clicked and she smiled "Oh! I can't make any promises. So otherwise she is good?" she asked as she turned her attention back to the coffee.

"She's fine, how are you?" Taylor asked as he noted her hands were shaking as she was setting up the coffee and the cups to go with. He knew for her it wasn't a sign of fear or anxiety but a sign of excessive fatigue and illness.

"I'm worried about my house being broken into while I was asleep last night and what pleasant surprises will be instore for me." Kate said with a sigh.

"I'll get Guzman to upgrade the systems-"

"I want security cameras on the exterior and the living area interior. Just in case my visitor comes again" Kate said cutting him off.

"It was the plan" Taylor replied as he looked at her more carefully. Taking not of her overall appearance, she had dark circles under her eyes and she also pale and tense. She had good reason to be but other than that her appearance was perfectly in order. So he pegged it down as pregnancy fatigue mixed with the threat of a killer on her tail.

"Thank you" Kate said looking relieved at the prospect of having stronger security measures. She poured out a hot cup of coffee and brought it over to the table for him before taking a seat opposite him. "I'm really worried about what round two will be with this chick. I figured that maybe I was on the list but that I'd be the last one to be taken out. There's still a lot of sixers to get through yet but my tea was poisoned and I don't want to be carved up like a christmas turkey" Kate said in a low voice. The fear was written clearly in her eyes that she knew she was vulnerable and afraid.

"What do you want to do?" Taylor asked as he sat Ella on his leg with his arm around her middle to hold her up.

"I don't know, we have no tangible leads and I don't want to spend however long it takes to find this woman questioning whether my food is safe to eat or if it's safe for me to close my eyes at night." Kate said as her eyes darted to where Malcolm was sleeping as she obviously didn't want him to hear what she was saying if he woke up.

"I can post guards" he said.

"Someone like me shouldn't need guards to protect her." she said looking upset with herself.

"You're no longer one person Kate and you have to remember that now more than ever. You have a kid on the way and Malcolm, so what affects you affects them." He told her.

"When did a 'me' thing turn into a 'we' thing?" Kate asked.

"After you slept with the man" Taylor told her in an amused tone as he picked up his coffee and took a sip. He enjoyed to strong and bitter taste as the caffeine refreshed him.

"Funny" Kate told him dryly as she got up from her chair as she heard Ava stirring as she made whingy noises. She moved to the crib and picked the girl up into her arms and went through the checklist of what Ava would need. "I'll be back Ava needs to be changed" Kate said.

Taylor nodded and turned his attention to Ella as she was fair better looking to look at than Malcolm who was still fast asleep. The baby was incredibly well behaved but then Taylor apparently had the magic touch when it came to Ella as he could only calm her down when she got herself into a tizzy.

"You miss me?" He asked Ella, she looked up at him with wide eyes saying nothing. "I missed you and mommy missed you too. You'll have to put on your Sunday best for her today and no fussing when you see her. Gotta be good with her" he said before taking another sip of coffee. Ella just looked around the place completely oblivious to him and what he was saying. He could hear Ava crying from the other room and Kate's voice talking to her telling her to calm down.

He shot a look over his shoulder and saw that Ava woke him up with her wailing as he sat up and rubbed his face. He stopped and looked up at Taylor.

"Morning" he said in a sleeping voice as he was still waking up.

"There's some coffee on the stove. If you want it" Taylor said.

"Yes, that would be great. When did you get in?" Malcolm asked curiously as he looked to the clock and noted he had a grand total of five hours of sleep. He was definitely in need of coffee instead of his usual morning tea.

"Around ten minutes ago" Taylor remarked.

"Oh ok, how is Alicia?" Malcolm asked.

"Better, she weak and can't walk but I'm sure a couple days of bed rest she'll be back to normal" Taylor said.

"That's good" he said as he poured himself a cup of coffee and weakened it with substitute milk and sugar before taking the same seat Kate had been in earlier.

"You know we have a guest bedroom with a double bed" Taylor remarked as Malcolm stretched his neck and gave the sigh of man who didn't sleep comfortably last night.

"Yeah I know, Kate and I were talking as she was looking after Ella and I dozed off. I think we ruined any routine you had going with the twins" Malcolm said. Taylor laughed as he and Alicia pretended there was a routine but really the twins controlled everything.

"There's no schedule, we like to think Ava holds a schedule while Ella is the non conformist"

"Ella doesn't like Malcolm" Kate said coming back into the room with the crying Ava.

"No?" Taylor asked in a amusement looking between Kate and Malcolm.

"She chundered on him twice last night" Kate said as she moved it the kitchen "Oh I know, I know you're hungry baby girl" Kate said to Ava as she pulled out a bottle of milk and went to warming it up.

"You want a hand?" Malcolm asked Kate as he liked Ava out of the two twins.

"Nah I got this, how was your sleep?" Kate asked him with an amused smile as the crying didn't bother her in the least while Taylor felt his heart strings pull for his crying daughter even though he knew Ava would be happy once she was fed.

"It was ok but that lounge is horrible to sleep on. No offence" Malcolm said looking at Taylor.

"None taken" Taylor said as he drank more of his coffee. Kate finally quietened down Ava who was now greedily drinking milk that Kate warmed up.

"Ah peace and quiet reigned in the Taylor residence" Kate said with a sigh as she sat down next to Malcolm and placed her head on his shoulder while she cradled Ava in her arms. Taylor mused how it was like a preview of future and how they made a good image.

"How much sleep did you two get?" Taylor asked.

"Mmm I don't know but not enough. I'll play catch ups this afternoon" Kate said as she sat up again.

"So I'll be pushing my luck for another night of babysitting?" Taylor asked with amused look.

"I don't mind playing babysitter for one more night but only if I get my afternoon nap" Kate told him, she looked to Malcolm figuring he'd definitely say 'no'. But instead he surprised her and gave a shrug.

"I don't mind either though I will join you for that afternoon nap" he told her, she smiled as she knew they weren't going to just sleep. She also knew she'd feel a lot more comfortable with him there.

"Hmm we'll have to clear out our pantry and clean everything today as well" Kate said with a sigh as her day off would be taken up with cleaning house.

"Tomorrow, we'll eat at Boylan's for lunch today's?" he asked her.

"Sounds like a date" Kate said with a smile as she adjusted Ava in her arms. Taylor watched the two envious of their moment and wishing he and Alicia could get that back again as he felt more like her roommate than her husband. Sure she still responded to him but only when he caught her off guard or in a moment of weakness. He really had to start picking up his game otherwise they'd stay in their current pattern which he'd rather they move out of as he wanted the old them back. He wanted all of her.


	43. Chapter 43

"Do you know how many soldiers melt at a kid?"Kate asked as she pulled each twin out of the sling she was wearing and handed them over to Alicia. She was dressed in her usual wide leg cotton yoga pants and light weight long sleeve jumper with a cowl neckline. Alicia couldn't help but notice how tired and pale her friend look and wondered how much sleep she had lost taking care of the twins.

"Their Taylor's kids" Alicia said as she greedily took her child from Kate and held the baby to her chest taking a moment to bond with her child.

"They are yours as well and seriously all the cooing." Kate rolled her eyes "What was really weird was most of them were guys. Never in my life have I met a clucky bunch of male soldiers" Kate said as Alicia chuckled in amusement that Kate was completely oblivious to the fact that the men were just trying to score brownie points with Taylor and to hit on Kate.

Even though Kate was married and pregnant the two had yet to publically say so and as such many still believed they were just rumours. As it wasn't confirmed of course there were men and women who were interested in Malcolm and Kate and figure it was worth a try. Well, with Kate the soldiers thought it was worth a try as they didn't seem to think Malcolm would be tough competition.

"Awwwh the twins are here" Elisabeth cooed as she came to the bed. She picked up Ava and her whole face melted with baby love and she started cooing nonsense at the baby.

"Just like that" Kate said she tilted her head to Elisabeth who was still going ga ga over Ava. Kate pulled up a seat and sat down. Alicia laughed as she held Ella to her relishing the feel of having her children near her again. "I'm sorry" Kate said sincerely.

"Why?" Alicia asked confused as she was pretty sure the kids looked to be perfect and still in one piece.

"Because I didn't wake up and stop a murderous cow from poisoning my tea that I ended up serving to you?" Kate asked in a mockingly innocent manner. Alicia shot her a serious look.

"Kate, it's not your fault and there was no way you could have known. Anyway I survived and you didn't have any tea so it was lucky. We'll call it even as you looked after my kids for me" Alicia said as she lifted Ella and looked at the baby noting the outfit and trying not to melt so she wouldn't be the butt end of Kate's joke of being yet another soldier melting at a baby even if it was her own.

"Ok" Kate said.

"I hope they weren't too bad" Alciia said referring to the twins.

"Ava was surprisingly fussy but Malcolm managed to get her calm and Ella was her usual self" Kate said, Alicia was amazed as Ava was usually the most content child but also secretly relished that her children missed her.

"Malcolm helped?" Elisabeth asked as she was now finished with her baby meltdown of cuteness with Ava and just holding the baby.

"Surprisingly yes. I think after Ella had a couple of good spews on him. I think he just got over trying to be perfect and relaxed into it" Kate said, Alicia and Elisabeth laughed as Kate smiled.

"Oh Ella, good job" Alicia said proudly of her little girl. Ella just looked at her with wide eyes as if she were memorising Alicia's features.

"Yeah, it was hilarious I went for a lie down and when I woke up he was wearing a different shirt. Two wardrobe changes in one night" Kate said with a laugh.

"Kate before I forget-" Elisabeth started only for Kate to cut her off.

"Three days from now we have an afternoon appointment. I remember!" Kate chirped cheerfully.

"Good" Elisabeth said.

"How many weeks are you?" Alicia asked as she couldn't remember.

"I'll be thirteen then and still not showing… I think it's all a hoax" Kate said matter of factorily. Elisabeth and Alicia exchanged looked as they weren't sure if Kate was joking or just baiting them.

"Right, so what are your plans today as I assume it's your day off?" Alicia asked Kate who nodded as she made herself comfortable in the guest chair by the bed.

"Well Malcolm and I are having a lunch date at Boylan's then I'm going to have an afternoon nap and then I was going to raid your house for food and Taylor thinks he'll need Malcolm and I to babysit again. Unless you've been given a clean bill of health" Kate said looking to Elisabeth.

"See how you are in the afternoon, if you are more mobile I'll be happy to release you" Elisabeth said as she cradled Ava "Hello, aren't you just cutie in your little outfit" Elisabeth said to Ava. The baby girl looked up at Elisabeth and made a huffy noise which was the signal she was about to start crying.

"Uh oh better hand her off to mum before she starts crying. She has a great pair of lungs on her" Kate told Elisabeth with a smile as she had a whole night of hearing that noise.

"I'll trade you" Alicia said in an amused manner as Elisabeth handed Ava to Alicia before picking up Ella and starting cooing all over again. Ava settled immediately once she was in Alicia's arms and went to sleep in seconds.

"Oh that is not fair" Kate said.

"She wouldn't settle for you?" Alicia asked.

"Not that quickly" Kate said with a pout as she folded her arms.

* * *

Taylor watched as the technicians installed the surveillance equipment in Kate and Malcolm's home. He'd overseen his own house first but left out the surveillance of the interior as he didn't feel it was necessary and didn't want the invasion of his privacy even if it was temporary.

Jim walked up to his side and stopped, he adopted an old cowboy pose with his thumbs in his pockets and his legs in a wide stance.

"So I've been looking into how the lock was bypassed"

"You said it was remotely hacked"

"I thought it was but I got one of the computer specialists to look more closely at the coding and to see if there was anything to help us"

"And?" Taylor asked as he knew Jim had to have a point to what he was saying.

"The tech said it's the skeleton code written into the security systems of all the houses. The same code we use to open the doors"

"Only 6 people know that code and two of them are women both of whom we can agree is not our killer" Taylor said as the two women he was referring to were Kate and Alicia. While yes they both were capable of murdering someone they also both had solid alibis and no reason to kill any of the victims.

"I know which means that we have to change all the security and override codes"

"We'll do it after this" Taylor said as he was given the signal to step up and punch in the new code. Jim nodded and watched as Taylor disappeared into the house and cleared out the technicians before closing the door and punching in the new security codes. After he was done he dismissed the crew and motioned for Jim to follow him to the Command Centre.

* * *

On the Northern Perimeter, a work detail of sixers and civilians was helping the farmers dig yet another aqueduct for the fields to bring more rain water into the area to grow their rice crops. They were glad this was happening in the autumn and not the dead middle of summer as the work was hard enough without the hot sun burning down on them.

"I dunno, I think it needs more brewing time" Hunter said to Josh as they were at the far end of the ditch digging away. They had barely dug a meter down due to their chatter.

"You're just worried about another worm getting in you" Josh said laughing as he stuck his shovel into the ground and tossed the shovelled dirt to the side.

"Well the first one I had was so much fun" Hunter remarked dryly.

"Nothing says friendship like having your best friend pull a 30 meter tape worm from your stomach" Josh said with laugh as he stuck the shovel in the ground and stopped as he hit something. Hunter had stopped as he heard the noise as well. They both exchanged looks before Josh lifted the shovel and immediately dropped it as he jumped back at what he saw.

Hunter on the other hand took a step closer and picked it up "Dude, it's just a femur. I think" Hunter told him.

"I don't think you should be picking that up" Josh told Hunter who was twirling the bone like it was a baton before looking at it more closely.

"I think it's human… Hey look I got a spare now" Hunter joked as he placed the bone by his leg.

"Hey what the hell are you two doing horsing around?" The foreman shouted as he walked over to the boys. Hunter's antics had not been missed as the Foreman took the bones from Hunter

"Ah nothing just having a bit of fun. Getting back to work now" Hunter said awkwardly as he watched the Foreman inspect the bone more closely.

"Where did you get this?" The foreman asked them.

"We just dug it up" Josh said as he hoped they would be stung with another round of punishment for finding a bone and Hunter playing with it.

"Dunham, get over here" The foreman shouted.

* * *

Evan knocked on the open doorway to the command centre as he saw Taylor and Jim standing by a large plex screen talking in hushed tones. Taylor turned first and looked at him while Jim turned off the screen, Evan had no clue as to what they were looking at nor did he care.

"Evan, what do I owe for this unexpected meeting?" Taylor asked as he moved to his desk and motioned to Evan to come in and take a seat.

"You're not going to like it" Evan said as he took a seat, he looked to Jim who sat down in the second guest chair before he looked back to Taylor.

"Most of the time I don't. So go ahead" Taylor said calmly though Evan had no idea how calm the man would remain.

"I'm a couple months if not less from completing the repairs and upgrades to the terminus but with the unfortunate demise of Dr Xiong and Goldman work on the calculations has stalled, I would like to talk to your son about having him complete them" Evan said, he was right about Taylor not liking it as the man's eyes turned cold. Evan would have looked to Jim but he knew better than to break eye contact with Taylor.

"Out of the question" Taylor said firmly.

"He's the only person in the colony with an aptitude to finish the work. If he doesn't then we can't tether and close the fracture indefinitely. Unless you want 2149 to reconnect with us and go ahead with all their plans." Evan said as they both knew it was true, at some point 2149 would repair the damage to their power systems and start from scratch to try and come back to Terra Nova. It was the Oasis they dreamed to tear to shreds. But it was years off thanks to Kate and Maddy's handiwork. Taylor lifted his chin a fraction taking a moment before speaking.

"He won't do it out of the kindness of his heart. He'll want something" Taylor told Evan.

"Ok then what am I allowed to give him?" Evan asked Taylor pursed his lips. "How about what I'm not allowed to give him?" Evan asked as he was sure it would be easier to answer.

"Ok, no early release, no visits from Kate. You also don't tell him about the twins or my marriage to Alicia. It's probably best to stay completely on topic with the calculations and not socialise-" Taylor stopped as a soldier knocked on the doorway. The three of them turned in their seats to look at the soldier who had intruded on their unscheduled meeting.

"Excuse me sir, human remains have been found just outside the North perimeter by a work detail" the soldier told them.

"I'll go" Jim said.

"If you need me or anyone else just call" Taylor said to Jim who nodded before leaving the room. Taylor turned his attention back to Evan.

"You were telling me what I can barter with" Evan said.

"You haven't got much to work with and my son is unbalanced for want of a better word. I won't allow him out of the brig for the safety of the colony and for Lucas's safety as there are many people who would like to see him dead" Taylor said.

"My sister one of the people who would be in danger?" Evan asked.

"More like one of the few who would be a danger to Lucas's safety. He has a fixation on destroying me and I prefer not to give him any ammunition" Taylor remarked carefully so Evan understood where he was coming from. Evan nodded as he heard the stories about Lucas and the Occupation not to mention the crazy fixations Lucas had on the portal calculations and destroying his father. He was prepared to sit through a lot of Taylor bashing sessions with Lucas if it meant he could finish the project.

"Ok so I have nothing to offer him" Evan said. Taylor pursed his lips before he spoke considering his options.

"Let me get back to you on that. When did you want to speak with him?" Taylor asked.

"In the next few days, the sooner he gets started the better" Evan said.

* * *

"You are going have to be careful" Jim told Kate as they watched Malcolm and Elizabeth with a small group of soldiers sift through the dirt and pull bones from the ground before placing them into containers for transport. Tayor stood to the side watching as he decided to stop by and see the scene for himself. Kate on the otherhand had been dragged away from her morning tea with Alicia so she was already in a foul mood as lack of sleep, anxiety over her home and hunger set in as lunch was an hour and a half away.

"What do you think she used to burn the flesh off? Her oven or the garbage incinerator?" Kate asked Jim in a mocking manner as they looked at the pile of bones that had been uncovered. She hadn't meant to sound so snide but the tone and words slid out of mouth on their own volition as Jim's remark of being 'careful' struck a nerve and flared anger in her. She knew he was giving her friendly advice but it felt patronizing to her like she walked down dark alleys and personally asked the killer to come after her.

"Kate-" Jim started in a serious tone but Kate cut him off again.

"I heard you, but what can we do but look at surveillance videos and hope we catch a glimpse of this woman dumping bones in this area? Maybe we should look at power usage but considering all the doubling up we had in housing two months ago it would be a waste of time" Kate said with a sigh as they were still no where closer to figuring it out.

"We might find something-"

"Yeah right and I might find a cocoa tree and take chocolate baths. What are we doing here? You're an ex narcotics cop and I'm… I don't even know what I am but this is ridiculous. We'll find nothing more than a bunch of dead sixers who will finally be given a proper burial while those of us still alive on her shit list are on borrowed time which is just Fan-fucking-tastic!" Kate exclaimed sarcastically making everyone nearby look at her as she was not one to have such an outburst. She threw up her hands and shook her head in disbelief as she turned her back to the group as she couldn't stand their looks.

"Kate, we'll find a lead" Jim said in a low and patient voice.

"No we won't. Any evidence has been trampled to death by the work detail and on the slim chance that this person wasn't hiding in the shadows while walking to the dump site we might get a glimpse of her on camera. If she isn't working alone and was the one who dumped the bones" Kate told him in an angry low voice to him.

"I didn't think you'd have such a short fuse when I brought you in on your day off" Jim said to her as he watched Kate run her hands over her face and her hair which was pulled back into a low bun, she looked to be on the cusp of a meltdown. "People make mistakes, this person will slip up and we'll be there to catch her"

"Oh is that so because she's offed like 8 people without leaving so much a fingerprint or DNA. The only mistake she has made so far is in poisoning the wrong woman with tea. Maybe I should write my will cause at this rate I'm toast" Kate told Jim in a scathing tone. Taylor moved away from where he was standing to Kate and motioned for her to walk with him.

"Kate, are you ok?" Taylor asked her in a low voice like a parent chastising their child but didn't want to shout their displeasure at their child's attitude problems.

"Yes" Kate said in a slightly petulant manner as she folded her arms and mirroring Taylor's posture.

"You're on paid leave until further notice" He told her as he knew the conversation would disintegrate quickly. Kate and Alicia shared some of the same behavioural traits and mirroring his posture was like a warning sign that if he didn't say what he had to quickly things would get dark.

"What?" Kate asked surprised at how he hadn't beaten around the bush.

"You're too close to this and I can see it is causing you more distress to be here then it should. Take my rover. Go home, go to the infirmary and keep Alicia and the kids company. Walk away from this one." Taylor told her in a low voice. Kate dropped her head and covered her eyes with a hand before she looked up at him and nodded. Taylor clapped a hand on her shoulder and then walked her over to his rover.

He watched her drive away and walked back to wear Jim was standing and stood next to the man with his arms folded looking down at Malcolm and Elisabeth.

"Kate's on paid leave until this is matter is resolved" Taylor told Jim.

"A good idea, I thought she'd be able to handle it better than she is" Jim said Taylor.

"Give her a break, Jim. I doubt being pregnant and married to a man with partial amnesia while targeted by a killer was covered in her occupational training to be a special forces officer or whatever she was" Malcolm drawled sarcastically from where he and Elisabeth were. Taylor chuckled while Elisabeth smiled and continued to work as Jim opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the right words.

"Is there anything you two can tell us?" Jim asked Malcolm and Elisabeth.

"We have 6 victims but we'll be able to tell you more once we get these bones back to the lab. But considering there are no smaller bones here I'd say they used carved up the remains and used the garbage incinerator" Elisabeth told them as she stood up and dusted her hands.

"That would take a long time to do and make a bloody big mess" Malcolm commented as he stood up from the ground as well. "I'm going to get the geologists to dig up the rest of the soil to make sure we haven't missed any but I think Elisabeth has enough to get started" he told Taylor who gave a nod.

"Sick of playing in the Dirt?" Jim asked him snidely to get back at Malcolm for his early remark.

"As I told you before criminal pathology not one of my numerous fields of study" Malcolm said with a closed lipped smile as he moved away from the site.

* * *

Kate pulled the rover up to a stop outside Taylor's house and turned off the engine and walked to her front door. When she got to the door she punched in the new code and opened the door. She had planned on cleaning out the cupboards and making a list everything she and Malcolm would have to replace as it would take at least a good hour or two she needed to lose before her lunch date with Malcolm.

She stepped into the house and closed the door before she paused. She slowed her breathing and listened to the stillness of the house trying to detect any noise that didn't belong. She heard the outside noise carry in, sounds of cicadas, birds and the wind blowing the branches of trees. She heard the creaking of wood as those parts of the wood contracted as a result of the change in temperature. Her heart pounded as her hand wavered over the handle of the gun as all the sounds were playing tricks on her mind. She shook her head feeling ridiculous for fearing her own home but her mind kept telling her all the what if's. What if the woman was lurking in her house even with the upgrades and was waiting for Kate to fall into her trap she set up. Anxiety rose in her to the point of ridiculous as she unholstered her gun and moved a couple of steps further into the house.

* * *

Alicia sat cross legged on the bio bed looking down at the sleeping twins wishing she was at home than in the Infirmary as nearly every person who passed her bed made a pit stop to coo at her children and congratulate her which was nice but she was starting to feel like an animal at the zoo with her young.

She heard footsteps coming towards her and purposefully kept her eyes down hoping whoever it was would walk past but sadly whoever it was didn't take the clue as they dragged up a chair and sat down with a thump.

"It's official what little sanity I have is gone" Kate said and Alicia looked up glad for once it was Kate as she would keep the other women away. She looked at her friend who shook her head in disbelief at herself.

"Why do claim this?" Alicia asked being dramatic for amusement sake.

"I went home because Taylor benched me and instead of putting my gun in the safe and taking a relaxing bath or a nap. I unholstered my weapon and searched the rooms for a person who isn't there and even when I knew all the room were clear. I still couldn't relax and I heard a twitch of a noise and shot a vase. Do you know that Guzman lacks a sense of humour?" Kate asked her. Alicia smothered a smile as she knew that Kate's house was rigged with senses to detect weapons fire and set off a silent alarm. She also wished she was on duty to watch the scene go down between them.

"What did he say?"

"If I didn't like the vase then I should have put it away not shot it then gave me a fine for discharging my weapon. He said he would have confiscated it but felt I shouldn't be unarmed at this time. Taylor is going to rip me a new one" Kate said dropping her head into her hands.

"I'm sure he'll understand that you just reacted. I would let you off, there's a woman out there cutting people up like a Christmas Gallosaur"

"Speaking of where's Fogarty?" Kate asked as she looked at the empty bed five over and saw it was empty.

"He died 20 minutes ago from heart failure. They moved his body to the morgue" Alicia told her, Kate cursed under breath and sunk lower in her chair.

"So Taylor benched you" Alicia said hoping to distract Kate from what she was thinking. It was like Kate was turning the invisible cooking timer on in her head and hearing it tick tock down to her imminent demise.

"Yeah, I had a micro meltdown and I blame the parasite. I'm usually cool as cucumber about this stuff but the last few weeks it's like I'm blindfolded riding a psychotic rollercoaster of emotions and horniness. It all started after it started getting bigger…how am I going to survive 6 more months of this?" Kate asked before she gave a sigh. She threw her hands up in the air and slouched back in her chair.

"Maybe you should do more yoga or have more sex" Alicia offered as she along with many others noticed Kate only seemed to be mellow out after sex or yoga than any other time. Considering the woman couldn't have a drink. "Or get a massage" Alicia added as she knew she was in dire need of a good massage.

"I could use a massage" Kate said thoughtfully.

"You just need to calm down, the security systems obviously work" Alicia said with an amused smile.

"Yeah they do. I just hope Malcolm doesn't notice that vase is gone" Kate said as she covered her eyes out of embarrassment for a moment. "So how about you, how are you?" Kate asked.

"I'm good, I can walk as far as the bathroom" Alicia said.

"So can I break you out of here?" Kate asked her eyes lighting up with the idea of helping Alicia escape.

"Yes" Alicia said in relief as she desperately wanted out of the infirmary.

"Awesome, I need a wheelchair, volunteers and a distraction" Kate said as she sat up in her chair.

"You'll get in trouble" Alicia told her.

"The hole is already dug out, why not make it deeper" Kate said in a nonchalant fashion with a smile as she pulled out her comm. and messaged Evan.

* * *

_TBC~Cya all in a few days_


	44. Chapter 44

A/N: Thank you! thank you! for the reviews as always ENJOY!

* * *

"Isn't this better than the infirmary?" Kate asked as Alicia was lying on one of the lounges while Kate sat on the other opposite her while the twins were in their crib sleeping. Alicia noted that Kate had chosen her lounge as she has a view of all the entry points. It hadn't missed her attention how tense her friend was.

"Definitely" Alicia said as she looked over at Kate. She knew her breakout was cleared by Elisabeth but still it was nice to have the illusion that she had escaped with her brother helping her into a wheelchair with Ava while Kate took Ella and played interference with anyone and everyone who crossed their paths and tried to stop them for a conversation.

"So what are you up to these days?" Kate asked Evan who flopped down on the lounge next to Kate and crossed his ankles as he leaned back.

"Working" Evan said with a lazy smile to Kate as he had just given work the flick for some sibling time with his sister and Kate who was pretty much like another sister to him.

"How are you going to finish with Goldman and Xiong gone?" Alicia asked making conversation.

"Taylor has given me permission to talk wth Lucas" Evan said he grimaced as he had forgotten whether he was allowed to share that tidbit of information with Alicia and Kate. He assumed it was ok with Alicia but Kate was the wild card.

"Really?" Alicia said shocked as she couldn't believe Taylor would allow anyone to see Lucas. But then she and Taylor steered clear of dangerous topics such as Lucas and Evan.

"Yeah" Evan said with a nod who was darting looks at Kate who looked slightly dazed and pale. He wondered if she was unwell in general or if it was the topic until she spoke.

"You know he won't do anything for free" Kate said in a practical and business like manner.

"I know" Evan said with a wince as he really hated the idea of wheeling and Dealing with a man he worked with once and whom he had respected. Finding out said man made some horrible decisions that killed and hurt many people was hard to swallow especially the mad man part but who was he to argue with those who were his victim.

"What will he get for helping you out?" Kate asked looking at Evan, nausea rolled in her at talking about Lucas as she remembered their last encounter. She wondered what it was about her that attracted mentally unstable people to want to kill her which led her to think about her current situation. She felt accutely aware of the open curtains on the windows, her senses went frenetic at the lively noise of the insect life and the breeze gently blowing through the branches of the plants and trees outside.

"Taylor has yet to tell me what I have to bargain with" Evan said as he noted Kate shift uncomfortably in her seat beside "So I heard you murdered a vase today" Evan said turning the topic of conversation onto Kate and away from Lucas.

"How did hear about that?" Kate asked him. He noted how she didn't look at him but around the living area like she was looking for something.

"Heard two soldiers giggling about it" He said as he looked to Alicia who had also noticed the change in Kate's disposition.

"Giggling?" Alicia asked Evan dryly as she too was trying to keep the conversation light while observing her friend.

"It was very manly giggling" Evan assured her.

"Yes I accidently shot a vase. I thought I heard something and reacted it happens" Kate said distractedly as she scanned the outside area from her seat.

"Seeing monsters where there aren't any to be found. You want me to walk you home and check all the closets and under the beds like how I do with Sean and Olive?" Evan asked, Kate didn't even look at him as sheflipped him the bird. Evan and Alicia chuckled at her reaction though Evan was also amused at how she was multitasking and still able to hold a conversation.

"For the record my gun was on its lowest setting. Breaks glass not people" Kate said with a sigh as she was sure she was going to have to repeat those words many times before the day was out. She unconsciously touched the handle of her gun as she was still feeling paranoid as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up for no reason. She stood up and grasped the butt of her gun as her instincts told her something was wrong.

"Kate?" Alicia asked as she could see Kate was now in full soldier mode and trying to listen for noises out of place. Kate held up a finger as if to say 'one moment' she rose from the chair. Evan and Alicia watched her curiously as she moved around the room and then down the hallway to the other rooms and side door.

"She ok?" Evan asked in a low voice as he had gotten up to watch Kate who was walking soundlessly around the place with one hand on the handle of her gun but she kept it holstered.

"I don't know but you should sit back down just in case." Alicia told him. Evan moved back to his seat and looking relaxed he hadn't moved at all. He was not going to get shot if he could help it. Kate came back into the room and looked slightly embarrassed but also relieved.

"Sorry, does anyone want some tea?" Kate asked.

"Sure, I'll have one" Evan said as he and Alicia exchanged looks of concern.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Taylor asked Alicia as he sat down sideways on the lounge and faced Alicia. They had had a large family dinner with Evan and the kids as well as Malcolm and Kate. Evan and Kate did the cooking while Malcolm and Taylor cleaned up it had been tiring on Alicia even though she hadn't done anything.

"Fine, most of my coming strength is back though I'm exhausted" Alicia said as she demonstrated by sluggishly lifting her legs and arms to show she was getting stronger.

"I knew the dinner-"

"-was fine. I enjoyed myself" Alicia said with was true she loved having a large family dinner with everyone as it was a good distraction and it felt like she was reclaiming something she had lost from all her time in the service. Not that her unit wasn't family to her but there was something different about sitting down with those you were related to you not by profession.

"I think the twins loved it too" Taylor remarked as they had been incredibly well behaved bar one little episode of vomit from Ella on Malcolm who proclaimed he would definitely never hold the child again to which everyone laughed. After that they were well behaved and now were currently fast asleep in their crib.

"Who wouldn't with Kate and Evan's antics. I think Malcolm was a little jealous" Alicia said with a chuckle as Kate and Evan bounced random topics and humour with one another at rapid speed it was hard to keep up or get a word in at some points. It wasn't flirtatious but the two were definitely in sync with one another as they kept rolling jokes at one another.

"I would have been if it were you and another man" Taylor said as he knew from first hand experience when Kate and Alicia went on a roll together talking like they were the only two in the room. It wasn't flirtatious either but he did feel like an outsider or like someone watching a tv show.

"They are just using their humour to deflect their feelings on the current situation or at least Kate is" Alicia said.

"She did shoot a vase" Taylor remarked as he read the report from Guzman. He was tempted to take Kate's gun away from her but he knew she would feel safer with the weapon than without.

"She had a weird moment today in here" Alicia said apprehensively as she wasn't sure she wanted to tell him but knew if she didn't and it came up at a later date she'd be in more trouble which was the last thing she needed.

"What did she do?" Taylor asked.

"She was fine one moment, then she became distracted like she wasn't present in the room. Then froze and tensed up like she heard something out of place. Then got up and checked the back rooms with her hand on the handle of her gun came back a few minutes later. Obviously didn't find anything but I'm worried. I've never seen her act so strangely" Alicia said.

"She was fine until you were poisoned and now she's teetering on the edge. I don't understand it" Taylor said with a shake of his head.

"She's scared and messed up" Alicia told him as she knew the reason behind Kate's actions or the fact that Kate appearing fine was just a lovely façade that had begun to crack.

"She isn't messed up" Taylor said as he didn't want to think of Kate being another time bomb waiting to explode.

"Oh come on! The better part of this year she has been trying to make a life and a home for herself while dealing with what happened during the occupation, then she fell through a time rift with you to come back to find her dream completely mangled out of shape and the last couple months dealing with Malcolm and all the dramas we've had until know. I'm amazed she hasn't completely lost it" Alicia said as she gave a sigh, she wished Taylor would open his eyes and see the world for what it was and not for what he wished it to be and then be surprised when it went sour.

Taylor remained silent as he didn't want to mention the minor outburst Kate had at the grave site for the sixers or the fact that her shooting vase to him said she had lost it. The calm she had was gone, if she wasn't cracking a joke she was twitchy and nervous which made her dangerous as soldier. It was like the person she was before she came to Terra Nova was finally unravelling as she was no longer put through the strict training and discipline not to mention whatever psy-ops did to keep her programmed. She had the discipline for her physical training but her mental training was seriously lacking. Though he excused it for now as she was pregnant, it was obvious she was hormonal from her mood swings.

"Evan told me he's going to talk with Lucas soon. What are you guys going to give him in return for his work?" Alicia asked filling the silence rather neatly with yet another volatile conversation topic.

"I don't know, but it will have to be enticing enough to make him want to help Evan but just enough that the colonist don't riot. I'm thinking of having that brig rebuilt into one of barracks again" Taylor said.

"You can't be serious" Alicia said in disbelief.

"I am, it was a sturdy design and Kate couldn't escape it. It could be made bigger to accommodate a shower as well as a commode, a table and chairs along with a bed" Taylor said, he couldn't think of anything more enticing to motivate his son into helping them.

"Talk about a lot of privileges for a man who nearly killed my best friend twice and nearly destroyed this colony not to mention the lives lost because of him" Alicia said.

"Devil's advocate. Nearly being the operative word. Kate survived and so did the colony. He can safe guard our future by finishing this work" Taylor told Alicia as he felt he needed to defend his son.

"No one has slipped through from 2149 to here yet who says they ever will if we don't do it?" Alicia asked.

"It's preparing for the eventualities. To protect ourselves and our children" Taylor told her

"At what price?"

"An upgrade in prison luxuries"

"If Lucas agrees. You know him as well as I you give him an inch and he'll want to take a mile" Alicia said.

"I'm sure your brother can use his common interests to convince Lucas to agree to whats on offer and no more" Taylor said, he knew as soon as the words left his mouth that he shouldn't have said them as Alicia's eyes grew cold and furious.

"What would my brother have in common with Lucas? Besides a mutual dislike of you" Alicia asked scathingly. Taylor wondered if Alicia shared that dislike of him too as he seemed to be on her bad side more than not.

"They are both share in the same work even if it is different departments and they share the same age group and know mutual people such as you, me and Kate to name a few" Taylor said sarcastically in hopes of drawing even the tiniest of smiles only it didn't work as Alicia looked unimpressed.

"Please tell me you're not going to make Kate go in and talk to Lucas again" Alicia told him.

"No, definitely not repeating what happened last time. Knowing Kate she'd probably kill him in one of her mood swings" Taylor said with a thoughtful expression as he still recalled watching the last exchange between Kate and Lucas before he shook his head. It was non-negotiable. Kate would never be put into the same room as Lucas ever again as long as Taylor was around.

"Yes because Kate has murdered so many people in the last couple of weeks due to her mood swings" Alicia scoffed dramatically.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" Taylor asked leaning in close to her in a sign that he wasn't going to back down from this fight. He also wanted to see what she would do.

"Keep what up?" She asked angrily as she leaned in close herself.

"Being spiteful and snide" he told her.

"I'm neither of those things. I'm angry" she told him.

"Why?"

"Because I feel like I've been led like a rabbit through a maze with a carrot and stick in the direction you wanted-"

"How many times will I have to apologise for something that happened years ago"

"You've yet to say the actual words and mean it" Alicia told him in such a way she made it sound like a challenge than a statement.

"Alicia, I'm not going to apologise for what I did over 9 years ago. I don't think it was wrong of me to protect you and I never will but I am sorry for how you feel it affected your life but I can see how everything is so bad for us" Taylor said missing the point of apologising completely.

"I didn't say my life was bad" Alicia said in a soft voice as if it hurt that he believed her to think their life was horrible. He gave an exapserated sigh as he looked into her eyes seeing how the fury was gone and how they had softened.

"Then why do you make it sound like it is just because I decided to cut ties between you and Evan which at the time was the best thing for both of you. You may think it is controlling or heavy handed of me to do so but look at your lives he has two kids, a career, he's a focussed, intelligent and mature adult. You have an impressive military career even if you don't think so. You have two beautiful babies of your own and me" he said lulling her into a warm state with his voice as he moved closer and closer to her keeping his eyes locked with hers. "Tell me what I can do to stop you from being angry at me. You want to hit me? Go ahead. You want me to keep a clean house for the next month? It'll be so clean in here you'd be able to eat off any surface. Any punishment I'll wear it but we need to get past this, I want my wife back in every way" Taylor said as he closed the space between their lips.

* * *

"Kate you need to come to bed and relax" Malcolm said as he turned off the plex he had been reading and turned his attention to Kate who had spent the last twenty minutes pacing the room and checking the doors and hesitating in front of the gun safe in the wardrobe where her gun was currently occupying. He had tried talking to her but she had been too consumed with the security of the house. So he figured she needed to get it out of her system and decided he'd abide her antics for 20 minutes before he put his foot down.

"I should go check the doors and windows" Kate said as she continued to pace at the end of the was exhausted but her brain was telling her she was in a red zone and the enemy was close which in her old life meant no sleeping. Her body was complying with her warped senses and keeping her awake and jittery.

"The doors and windows have been checked twice in the last twenty minutes. They are closed and locked. The security systems are set, did we forget anything?" He asked, he was pretty sure his wife was losing what little sanity she had left. He had helped her check all the locks and close all the curtains and watched her count steps and move furniture for what reason he had no clue but it was definitely overkill.

"Are you patronising me?" Kate snapped in an accusatory tone.

"No, I'm honestly asking is there anything we forgot so I can correct it. Thus you can finally relax and get some sleep with me" Malcolm said to her in a calm and casual tone. He watched as her shoulders sagged and she looked at him with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I shot a vase" She said, if he hadn't been told about the vase earlier by Jim it would have made for a really good non sequitur.

"I know" he said he also knew he should be angry but he found it oddly amusing as Kate winced in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry about that too" Kate told him, she gave a sigh and sat down on the end of the bed, Malcolm moved from his position and sat beside her at the end of the bed. He took one of her hands into his. While her other hand rubbed her face.

"Don't be it's just a vase"

"How are you so calm? You're usually the one freaking out" Kate told him.

"There is nothing to be panicked about the house is locked up tight the security systems are enabled. If someone breaks in we will know, so there is no reason to hyped up about ghosts or people breaking in. So get into bed before I put you in it" he said.

"You threatening to tuck me into bed too?" Kate asked him with a smile.

"Yes, I'll tuck the corners in so tight you won't be able to escape" he said mockingly before he gently kissed the back of the hand he was holding.

"I hate it when you do that" Kate replied equally as mocking as he was to her.

* * *

"Oh you're smooth" Alicia told him as she moved away before he could kiss her. She moved to the couch on the other side of the lounge room putting space between them. "But I am not that easy" Alicia told him as she had nearly melted into a state of heavy want and desire to drop her wall and jump him.

"I wasn't playing any game. I don't do that. I was being honest in everything I said" Taylor said frustrated as to why they kept going in circles about the same issues.

"I'm sorry you feel that way is not an apology" Alicia informed him.

"We don't lie one another" He told but she shook her head.

"No, I have never lied to you. But you were the one who has been lying to me for years about my own family. It makes me wonder what other secrets you kept from me. Are keeping from me and even if you confessed right now. How am I supposed to trust what you say?" Alicia asked him. Taylor reared back at her words as he hadn't expected her to say what she had.

"That's something only you can decide" he told her, as he knew she felt betrayed and angry at him for 'controlling' her life but not to the degree she couldn't trust his word. That she had lost faith in him. It was bad enough that she felt he had played her but to not trust him completely hurt deeply.

They lapsed into silence for a long moment before Taylor spoke. "I want fix this tell me what I have to do" he told her as he didn't know how he would even begin to repair the damage.

"I don't know, I just need time" Alicia said defeatedly. It was the only answer she had as she still wasn't sure of anything. The only thing she was sure of was that she still loved him deeply and completely but just didn't know how to get past her anger.

"You want me to leave or camp in the guest room?" Taylor asked Alicia shook her head.

"No, I don't want you to leave and I'm not kicking you out of our bedroom either. I'm won't be petty, I just need time to 'get over it' " She said the last part mockingly as he knew she was throwing it in his face the attitude he had about it as he did want her to get over it. As of right now they were back in their impasse where no one was winning or losing.

* * *

Alicia slept horribly that night and wasn't surprised when Kate knocked on her door at 8am. She figured Kate would come over at some point just not so early. Taylor had already left the house half an hour ago to help Jim with his investigation and to talk with Mira about what she wanted to do with the remains of her friends. They had sat in silence last night not speaking unless it was about the twins who woke up at their regular times for feeding and to make a mess or two. Otherwise they retired as normal and laid in their bed no touching and barely sleeping as they desperately wanted to be how they were but neither sure of how to get back to that place.

Normally shouting matches and make up sex were how they managed their minor issues and some of their major issues as well but Alicia wanted to resolve this one without Taylor bending her mind with physical pleasure. Even if she was completely desperate to wrap herself around him and revel in his attention and the pleasure he gave as well as the comfort.

She opened the door and looked at Kate who was in black leggings and off the shoulder grey jumper. Her hair was in a side plait and Alicia didn't miss the gun strapped to her friend's thigh.

"Hey, you mind me hanging out here today?" Kate asked anxiously.

"Come in" Alicia said as she waved her in, Alicia felt slightly underdressed in only her bathrobe but brushed it off as she wasn't completely naked and it was her home. That and Kate hadn't called to say she was coming over so that Alicia would have put some clothes on. She moved back to the kitchen as Kate closed the door. "Would you like something to drink? Tea, water or Juice?" Alicia asked her as she reached for the coffee.

"No I'm good" Kate said as she moved over to where the twins were on the floor of a cushioned pen. Alicia watched as her friend knelt down on the floor outside the pen and look at the twins. She was truly worried about Kate as she still looked tense. She took a sip of her coffee before she spoke.

"Kate, are you ok?" Alicia asked, Kate turned her attention to her and rubbed a hand over her face.

"Do I look that bad?" Kate asked her.

"You don't look well rested" Alicia admitted but she figured she didn't look any better herself.

"I kept waking up at the slightest noises. I don't think Malcolm appreciated it" Kate said making a face as she remembered Malcolm's endless patience with her as he lulled her back into sleep reassuring her they were safe and there were no alarms blaring and to go back to sleep.

"You were fine before the tea episode" Alicia said to her.

"I was 'safe' then, I foolishly thought I'd be fine but this woman got into my home while I was asleep and I didn't wake up. She tried to poison me and you were hurt instead. My body is telling me I have to stay on guard and awake but I'm so tired" Kate said.

"I know the feeling" Alicia commiserated.

"I'm sorry, I'm dumping my issues at your feet all the while you are have your own problems. Is there anything I can help with? You need like a bathroom cleaned or for me to cook something?" Kate asked Alicia smiled at Kate's randomness as a clean bathroom was the least of Alicia's problems.

"Can you go back in time for and change some history?" Alicia asked sarcastically.

"Oh Yeah that's totally easy! I've done it twice... What's a third trip?" Kate asked sarcastically which made Alicia smile as Kate snapped her fingers and looked wistful "But I can't go for another 18 years as Malcolm won't appreciate me dabbling in time travel while pregnant or with a kid in tow" Kate joked which made Alicia laugh as she moved to the lounge next to the pen and sat down. Kate got up from the floor and joined her on the lounge.

"You and Taylor in a serious bind?" Kate asked her.

"I don't know" Alicia said honestly before she took another sip of coffee.

"Well do you love the ugly bastard?" Kate asked.

"Yes and he is not ugly" Alicia said defensively which made Kate smile telling Alicia Kate had only been baiting her and she fell hook line and sinker.

"That should be enough maybe you should just sex out the rest" Kate suggested blithely.

"Really your answer is sex?" Alicia asked her.

"Well if we were in my time period I'd say copious amounts of chocolate and ice cream until he woos you back and earns your trust again. But here where there are no cacao trees or cows and the fact I find the concept of milking a dinosaur slightly disturbing-" Kate said.

"Only slightly?" Alicia asked mockingly.

"Sex is all that's left as I'm knocked up and apparently babies and booze is a no-no" Kate said said holding her hands up in surrender for a moment making Alicia smile at Kate manner.

"I don't need him to woo me" Alicia said.

"Really? From what I understand you guys went from being comrades to lovers then being in love but behind closed doors before pregnancy and marriage. Now you're betrayed and lost faith in him and yourself it's kind of like being back at square one but with adorable baggage" Kate said as she gestured to the twins who were awake and lying on the floor wiggling and wriggling occuppied with whatever babies at their age found fascinating.

"And ugly baggage too" Alicia said referring to their less than stellar past history.

"Men never have good taste when it comes to baggage" Kate said tongue in cheek.

"This is serious" Alicia told her.

"I know but you told me everything about you two and that's my opinion of what should happen. You should process your hurts and let them heal but you two need to come together with a clean slate. That is my unsolicited advice to you" Kate said smugly.

"No matter how hard you scrub slate it never comes clean. There will always be stains" Alicia said to be contrary.

"But they won't be as noticeable. Don't you just want to get back to the happiness and mediocre sex?" Kate asked her simplifying a complicated situation.

"It's not mediocre" Alicia said defensively.

"Really? How would know? Hasn't it been at least a couple of months if not longer?" Kate teased her.

"You're hilarious. I remember with great clarity how delicious the sex is not that I should have to tell you or defend my sex life" Alicia informed her.

"Then scrub the slate clean and start anew. Make more babies!" Kate told her.

"Ok to everything but the 'more babies' I think I'm good with twins" Alicia told her.

"Fine but remember you deserve to have him work a little to get back in your pants" Kate told her.

"What's gotten into you?" Alicia asked as Kate's advice was half helpful and the other half obsurd.

"I don't know. I have nervous energy that needs expelling" Kate told her.

* * *

"Remember the rules" Taylor told Evan as they stood outside the door to the brig.

"Yes, all 27 of them" Evan said as he couldn't believe he needed so many restrictions to talk to one man. He remember Lucas being a brilliant scientist and incredibly polite. He was quiet as if he saved his words for when he had something relevant to say as he didn't do idle chit chat.

"Good, let's get this over with" Taylor said as he opened the door to the room. Evan walked into the underground room and was shocked at the maze of paper on the stabilisers and pilons in the room, to the far side he saw a man lying on the cot. He was wearing a blue jumpsuit, he was clean shaven but incredibly pale and missing one of his hands, it took a moment for Evan to realise that it was Lucas as the man contrasted considerably from the man he remembered.

"Father, long time no see and you brought a friend" Lucas drawled as he stood up and moved toward them when Lucas was closer to Evan his eyes flickered in recognition. "We've met before" Lucas said to Evan.

"We have, I am Dr Evan Washington we met in 2150 after you came back from Terra Nova the first time. We spoke about the new version of the terminus" Evan said Lucas gave a quirk of the lips.

"Yes, I do recall you. How did you end up here?" he asked.

"By unexpected circumstances which I need your help rectifying" Evan said.

"Now my curiosity piqued. Please take a seat" Lucas said as he wondered what his father and Evan wanted from him.

Evan sat down at the table while Taylor leaned against a stabiliser declining the second chair as he preferred to observe from a distance. Lucas took the chair and sat back looking at them to talk.

" Ok I'm going to cut to the chase here as your father didn't give me much time to socialise" Evan started.

"You want me to finish the calculations blah blah I know the spiel and I wish I could help you but I've gone as far as I can. Without a working terminus to perform dry runs there is nothing I can do and even if the terminus was working to perform those dry runs I'd have to get a day pass from here which will never happen. So we may as well socialise. How much time did dear old dad give you?" Lucas drawled as he mockingly smiled at Taylor.

"The terminus is nearly repaired but the calculations need to be adjusted" Evan said ignoring Lucas's question and getting to business. His words grabbed Lucas's attention and the man looked back to Evan.

"How?" Lucas asked.

"We need to tether a loose fracture to a fixed position and keep the aperture closed so nothing can come through" Evan said.

"That's impossible" Lucas said Evan swore he could see the man's mind working through the concept and the possible equations related to it as Lucas had theorized time rifts were possible but completely harmless.

"No it's not, the untethered fracture is creating time rifts where the aperture opens wide enough to allow certain objects and people through" Evan said he mentally cursed at his slip at saying 'people' as he wasn't supposed to specify the details until Lucas agreed.

"I think you need to tell me more than what you've already told me" Lucas said, Evan looked over his shoulder to Taylor who shook his head.

"I can't tell you but just know that it's possible and has happened. You theorised something like this could happen which is why you recommended the portal be tethered on both ends. I read your paper" Evan said.

"It was a random thought that I played with. Only the idiots at your company published it as a 'theory' that was founded." Lucas said rolling his eyes at the idiocy of those in his field.

"Now it's a reality and I need you to help me fix it. I've nearly finished with the upgrades to the Terminus along with the repairs but I don't have the head to do the calculations. I'm more of an engineer than a physicist. That's why I- we need you. Now on this data chip is all the information you need to know." Evan said as he pulled the chip from his pocket and placed it on the table.

"What do I get for helping you?" Lucas asked not even looking at the chip or acknowledging it's presence on the table.

"A new cell with a few fancy upgrades topside" Evan said.

"I want my freedom" Lucas told Evan daring to ask for more even though he knew he wouldn't get it. He just wanted to insult their first offer.

"Can't have that but you can have a lovely spacious cell with an inbuilt shower, windows where you can see daylight and sky. I heard it will be very pretty once it's built" Taylor told him.

"It's not built" Lucas said folding his arms not impressed at all as he would move from one cell to another.

"You have to prove you're worthy of your new digs. While you work on the new calculations it'll be built. When it is ready you can move in and continue your work it's a sign of good faith" Evan told him.

"Just as easy as that?" Lucas asked.

"Yes and that is all you will get. This is also non negotiable deal so once you agree that's it" Taylor replied.

"Will I still be able to get my visitors?" Lucas asked as he found Mira's fortnightly visits entertaining. At least more entertaining than his father's visits that were increasingly erratic.

"Yes and you'll be far more comfortable in your new accommodations than here" Taylor told him.

"I look forward to it. I believe we have an agreement" Lucas said picking up a plex he had near by and placed it on the table before he picked up the chip with his one hand it was moments like this he missed his other hand.

"Ok we'll leave you to it" Evan said as Lucas was now ignoring them. Evan got up from his chair and looked to Taylor who gestured he go first they had barely taken two steps when Lucas spoke up.

"Oh one thing before you go" Lucas told them, the men turned to face him.

"What?" Taylor asked.

"Give Wren my congratulations on her pregnancy and the recent nuptials to Dr Wallace. He's a lucky man" Lucas told them with genuine smile. He then looked down at the plex signifying that he was done with their meeting. He continued to smile when he heard the door closing as he knew his Father was not pleased with Lucas knowing things he should otherwise be in the dark about.

* * *

TBC~Cya all soon with more!


	45. Chapter 45

_A/N: Many apologies for the wait but here is more! Hope you enjoy and feel free to give me suggestions of what you want to see more of in the story :-) ..On other news I'm in my last semester of uni and it's xmas so updates will get a little patchy.. So yeah forgive me! And as Always! ENJOY!_

* * *

"What did you expect me to talk about with him? Should I tell him all about you and Lt Washington and your children?" Mira asked snidely as she didn't appreciate Taylor coming to her home and demanding she explain herself. He made her feel like she had commit some crime when she was innocent for once. She didn't want to socialise with Lucas but Taylor asked her to as a 'favour' so they could know what Lucas was up to. Mira didn't report to him unless it was vital information as there were cameras recording Lucas's conversations and movements in the cell.

"No but why are you two talking about Kate and why didn't you come to me and tell me about it?" Taylor asked Mira, they were standing on in the kitchen facing off one another like an old western movie but only Taylor had a gun.

"I didn't realise Kate was not a suitable conversation topic. Anyway I didn't bring her up he did. He went from not wanting to talk about her to gushing over her like some kind of obsessed fan girl" Mira said dryly, she rolled her eyes as Lucas was clearly going mental from being in the brig more than his isolation in the Jungle had ever done to his mind.

"What else have you two been talking about?" Taylor asked he didn't want to have review over 6 months worth of visitations to know what Mira and his son had been talking about.

What he didn't understand was that Kate had scared Lucas, hell even Taylor was scared at how she acted that day. He could understand Lucas's reticence but now his son was acting like she were his friend and that he genuinely cared for her. But Taylor knew better, he knew his son was just trying to rattle his cage and Kate's.

"Nothing much, Kate and my missing people. I told him about the murders. He believes it's one of your soldiers" Mira commented.

"It's not" Taylor reaffirmed to Mira as he didn't like his soldiers being blamed for the murders.

"I know, Kate walked me through the evidence she had that it wasn't one of your soldiers. Lucas wants to believe he has a wedge driven between us so that he has someone on 'his' side" Mira said, Taylor nodded acknowledging that while Mira and he appeared to a united front for the colony but on a personal level they were still on opposite ends.

"I'm sorry for your loss, it's never easy losing your people" Taylor said sincerely even though they had been enemies, losing one's comrades in arms was never easy to live with.

"Thank you, I'm only glad we found their remains for a proper burial, but I would like to find this killer" Mira said.

"Before she or he finds you?" Taylor said as he didn't need Mira and her friends running their own investigation. He wasn't about to start sharing the details on what they had about the killer with Mira either.

"Something like that" Mira said.

* * *

"We should take the twins out to the mess hall sometime this week have a break from cooking. I think they will like it" Taylor said to Alicia as they were sharing lunch. He had to admit he liked coming home for lunch and time with the twins and Alicia.

"I think Ella will spew on some poor soldier and Ava will sleep all the way through it. Let's not forget how we'll have to lug everything with us. So I'd rather we just stay in until I got the hang of them without everyone watching and judging me" Alicia said casually as she took another bite of her lunch. But Taylor wasn't fooled as he had somehow unwittingly struck a nerve with one suggestion.

"You are at ease with Kate and Doc Shannon" Taylor said as he knew he was opening a can of worms but he didn't understand why Alicia would be selfconscious of what other thought about her or affected by it.

"They are different" Alicia said before she took a sip of water.

"I just thought you'd like to get out of the house" Taylor said and that set her off as she placed her glass on the table and shot him a chilling look as if he had insulted her.

"I get out of house, I spend time with Kate and I go to the infirmary for the twins' checkups and to go to the markets. I'm not a hermit" Alicia said defensively.

"I wasn't saying-"

"Really?"

"Let's change the subject" Taylor said as he didn't want to have a fight with her.

"So you and Evan saw Lucas this morning. How did it go?" Alicia asked moving from one minefield to another.

"He agreed to do the work" Taylor said knowing it was safer to take her lead conversation wise than to tell her another topic would be appreciated.

"But?" Alicia asked.

"No buts. He's doing the work for a new cell room" Taylor said, Alicia watched him for a moment before she narrowed her eyes at him.

"You look like you're hiding something" Alicia said as she was calling his bluff.

"I'm not" Taylor said, Alicia narrowed her eyes at him again and he caved as he didn't want his list of sins in her eyes to increase. "Fine, Mira has been talking to Lucas about Kate. He wanted me to pass on a message of congratulations on her pregnancy and marriage. He appeared genuine in his well wishes" Taylor said. Alicia blinked and looked shocked at what he said.

"You believe him?" Alicia asked.

"I'm reticent to believe if he is genuine but I won't be passing on the well wishes to Kate if that is what you are asking" Taylor said as he noticed Alicia was eyeing him carefully as if preparing for the worst. She relaxed slightly at knowing he wouldn't bring up Lucas around Kate and continued to eat.

He wondered why she was being more abrasive than usual, normally they sat in silence and when he asked a question about eating in the mess or about something innocuous she'd give a non-committal answer.

"So how was your morning?" Taylor asked her.

"It was good, Kate was more energetic than usual but it was nervous energy. I think she was waking at every noise she heard in the house thinking the killer was lurking" Alicia said.

"Where is she now?" Taylor asked as he had expected Kate to be with them for lunch.

"Having lunch with her husband" Alicia said giving him a smirk like it were the obvious conclusion but then she was at home when Malcolm picked Kate up for lunch. He didn't even have to leave his office as Kate would have gone to him but he walked the short distance and took Kate by the arm and they left the house looking like a Hallmark movie couple.

"They could have come here" Taylor said.

"I think their version of lunch includes more than just food" Alicia said with an amused smile as she would have thought Taylor would know better by now. Kate and Malcolm were literally in the honeymoon of not only their relationship but marriage. It made Alicia envious as she wouldn't mind having Taylor make a few passes at her or even throw her some kind of look that he found her attractive. Yes they were fighting and ok he had thrown her a couple of good kisses but mainly he'd just give her the perfunctory kisses not the 'I want to strip you naked and eat you lunch' kind of kisses.

She started to think that maybe Kate was right, that sex might not solve everything but it would help them reconnect on a physical way as they hadn't had sex in a very long time. Not since her 24th week of pregnancy which over three months ago, she silently cursed Kate for reminding her how long she had been without sex and for putting such thoughts into her head as she blatantly looked Taylor over as he looked down at his plate eating his lunch.

* * *

"Kate I thought I took you off duty" Taylor said as he walked into Malcolm's office unannounced to find Kate and Malcolm flirting with one another over empty containers that he assumed were the remains of lunch. A small part of him was a little happy he broke up the cosy scene as he missed his cosy intimate moments with Alicia. He had come to see Malcolm and figured the man would be back at work not still having a break and flirting with his wife.

"You did we were just finishing up lunch something entirely unrelated to murders and work" Kate told Taylor with a carefree smile.

"Right, can I have a word in private?" Taylor said to Kate.

"I'll give you two the office" Malcolm said as he gave Kate a quick kiss on the lips before leaving the office. Taylor closed the door and pulled up the second guest chair and sat opposite Kate.

"Ok, what did you say to Wash this morning? She was in a foul mood at lunch" Taylor asked her. Kate made a face as she didn't appreciate the accusation.

"Nothing bad, when I left she was smiling and happy. So I have no clue, perhaps it's something between you two" She offered, not liking the fact she was being blamed for Alicia's foul mood when it was obvious to Kate who had all the information that her friend was miserable with the way her marriage had turned and the fact she was recovering from the trauma and stress of premature labour.

"Kate" Taylor said in a serious manner.

"Seriously I don't know what specifically has her in a foul mood. You two really need to talk to one another and figure this out" Kate said.

"I'm trying but it's not easy" Taylor admitted, he knew he was safe in admitting his weakness with Kate as she had confided in him. Kate sat back in her chair keeping an empathetic expression but offering no advice. "I'm not asking you break whatever sisterhood you two have with your 'vault' but I want to fix my relationship. Can't you offer me something that will help?" Taylor asked her, Kate didn't look happy at the question.

"I hate getting in the middle-"

"But you'll clue me in" Taylor told her. It was more of an order than a suggestion, Kate gave a sigh and placated to his wish as she wanted her friends to repair their marriage but she also hated that she had to offer advice because if it went badly it would be her fault. She didn't need that kind of responsibility on her shoulders.

"Give her time, you know? Take it easy. I know it's been rough for you two but you got to remember what has been going on-"

"I know what has been going on" Taylor told her as he interrupted her.

"Really? So you understand that you and her had a big arguement. That she went into premature labour and had to have a c-section when she wanted to carry to term? How she must feel like a failure, that the arguement is still unresolved and to top it off she is the Commander's wife where everyone is looking at her to perfect when she feels as far removed from perfect as she can be?" Kate asked him, he blinked shocked at Kate's inpassioned outburst he wondered if Kate was repeating Alicia's words or if she was talkign about herself.

"She told you this?" Taylor asked. Kate shook her head before running a hand over her face and giving a sigh.

"No, but I know if it was me I would feel like a failure. So put that into mind with all the issues about how you cut her brother out of her life-"

"And the betrayal from it" Taylor finished.

"Look, I really don't know. I just know she's in the pits and while she's ok I can see there are times when she just wants to be left alone or given time to sort through the mess. I know I would" Kate said.

"So that is why she is hiding in the house?" Taylor asked, Kate laughed and he shot her a look of censure.

"Sorry. But remember what we are talking about is pure supposition and we could be very wrong. Also she isn't hiding" Kate said Taylor shot her a look "Ok maybe a little but do you know how hard it is to get around with two babies that the whole colony wants to gush over? It took me over 20 minutes to get from your house to the infirmary. I don't blame her for wanting to keep the kids to you, herself and close friends etc." Kate said.

"Ok, any advice on what I should do?" Taylor asked her with amusement as she made it sound like the twins were celebrities.

"Plenty" Kate said smugly as she folded her arms and looked at him.

"Well?" He said when she said nothing. She gave a chuckle and shook her head at him.

"Really? You want to take advice from a woman who's been married for all of five minutes? I mean you've been married before you should old hat this" Kate told him.

"Alicia is nothing like Ayani, so I don't think the same rules and procedures would work with her. Tell me what would you want Malcolm to do? Humour me" he said as she shot him an incredulous look.

"Ok I'd want him to.." She drawled shaking her head "I don't know, Malcolm usually listens to me or makes me talk and then rewards me with sex" Kate told him, Taylor shook his head as he knew that wasn't the answer for him and Alicia. But then Kate was just being honest in her answer. A little too blatantly obvious for him. He didn't need to know Kate and Malcolm's sex life.

"He also takes care of me, doing all the little things and reminding me of why I love him. Not that I need reminding but it's nice." Kate said before she made a face "I'm sorry I'm not much help" Kate said.

Taylor took in her words and understood what he had to do, what he took from Kate's words was that he needed to remind Alicia of the reasons of why he loved her, besides giving him two beautiful babies among other reasons. He knew she felt he took her for granted and she was the 'fool' not that he agreed with the assessment. So maybe he needed to change her low opinion of herself by showing her how much she meant to him.

"No, you've helped. Now get out of the labs as I need to talk with Malcolm about the case" Taylor told her.

"Ok" Kate said smiling as she rolled her eyes, she moved to pack up the mess as Taylor left the room to find Malcolm.

* * *

"So, Evan and I saw Lucas this morning. Due to your-" Taylor started before Malcolm cut him off.

"Amnesia. Let's call a spade a spade" Malcolm said as he hated how people walked on eggshells around the topic of his memory loss. After Taylor and Kate finished their private conversation, Kate had gone back to Alicia and Taylor's while the men headed off to the secondary labs. Which was where they were now talking with Evan about the Terminus upgrades and the future projections and schedule for the project.

"I don't recommend you talking with him unless I'm with you and I'd want to prepare you" Taylor said, even if Malcolm knew about Lucas he still wanted to prepare the man so he understood completely that anything Lucas said had to be taken with a grain of salt.

"I read my journals, I know what happened" Malcolm said as most of his journal read like fiction but he didn't question its validity as nearly everyone had warned him to be careful of the topic of Lucas.

"Don't you find it a little disturbing you kept extensive notes on your wife?" Evan asked Malcolm as Evan found it incredibly invasive and creepy. Sure every guy kept a mental book on the do' and don'ts of the woman they were in but Malcolm was first one Evan heard of her kept a detailed physical record of it. But then it obviously helped in Malcolm's case.

"No, I'm glad I have them though otherwise it would have made my recovery that much more difficult" Malcolm replied honestly as he truly wasn't bothered.

"Anyway, you can understand why I don't want to put you two in the same room. My son has a way of sounding incredibly convincing when he wants to be. So Evan will be in direct contact with Lucas" Taylor said moving the conversation along.

"Ok" Malcolm said as he hadn't expected it to be any other way. He had enough on his plate he didn't need more work or micromanage Evan's project.

"Good, I'll leave you two to your work" Taylor said, he was about to walk away when Malcolm stopped him.

"Oh Commander can I have a word in private before you go?" Malcolm asked.

"Sure" Taylor said as he gestured for Malcolm to take the lead.

* * *

"I can't believe I had forgotten how incredibly annoying you can be when you want something" Alicia told Kate as they were in the gym, Kate had managed to clear the gym with exception of two soldiers which she wrangled into babysitting the babies while they worked out. They had warmed up and few aerobic exercises before Kate grew tired and made them change to the punching bag so Kate could hold it while Alicia continued to exercise.

"Well, it's been over a month which means you can start exercising and you have a lot of anger going on inside you When I am super hormonal and angry, Guzman and Jim make me do boxing and you know what it really helps to just punch the crap out of something." Kate said as she held the bag as Alicia was doing a mixture of timed punches, jabs and kicks.

"Right" Alicia said as she punched the bag she did have to admit it felt great to work up a sweat and hit something.

"I know you don't need a kick in the pants to workout but I figured it was time we did something other than sit around. Plus you have over 60 free baby sitters at your beck and call" Kate said.

"Highly trained soldiers are not baby sitters" Alicia told Kate.

"Really? Look those guys?" Kate said jabbing a thumb in direction of the two men Kate had ordered to look after the twins. They of course would have told her to get nicked on any other day with any other babies but it was the commander's children so instead they stood over the carry beds the twins were sleeping in staring the twins down waiting for the slightest movement or noise so the twins would have all their needs met. Alicia had to admit it was amusing to watch.

"Oh and apparently the mother's group offers 'Mommy and me' yoga" Kate said.

"I'd rather shoot myself in the head than stretch and listen to the jibba jabba they spew about 'being connected with my children'" Alicia said dryly before she threw another combo of punches at the bag. Kate laughed as it was probably very close to the truth, Kate had attended the prenatal yoga class just for kicks but couldn't handle all of the 'feel connected with the new life in you' talk, it annoyed her how yoga was her special time where it was about her. She didn't need to hear about how the baby was taking over her body and life.

"I hear that" Kate said, Alicia paused to catch her breath and looked at Kate.

"Thanks for this. I really needed this" Alicia said sincerely as she didn't need motivation to exercise as she wanted to get back into shape but she did however need a push to get started. Someone who wouldn't just hold her hand and placate her either.

"It's ok, I figure we could start doing some pilates again and next week I'm doing Yoga with Maddy in the afternoons as her mornings are pretty full on. So if you want to join us? We can do it in your backyard that way you don't have to worry about lugging the twins around" Kate said with a smile.

"You know you were only taken off duty yesterday and you're already filling up your spare time with exercise" Alicia told her.

"Only 2 hours of the day, the rest will be eating, sex and lying around being generally lazy. Just because I'm tired doesn't mean I shouldn't exercise, plus I'm getting fat" Kate said making a face. Alicia laughed at Kate's vanity.

"It's called being pregnant, you're supposed to put on weight" Alicia said as she wiped the sweat off her brow before putting her hands on her hips and looked at Kate. Kate shot her a look and leaned forward still holding onto the bag.

"I have what you Americans refer to as a 'pooch' " Kate said in a low voice so no one could hear her. Alicia tried to keep a straight face "It's not funny! I look like I've been eating one too many pies for dessert lately" Kate said dramatically.

"It'll grow bigger" Alicia assured her with made Kate frown.

"I know but I worked so hard to have this body can't I just be me with my flat stomach and fit for 8 months and then POW! 8 months pregnant belly pops out-"

"Ok you're being ridiculous. One if that happened it would be incredibly unnatural and painful and two suck it up! I had twins, look at how much hard work I gotta do to get back my old body. Knowing you, you'll probably sneeze out the baby at 37 weeks and be back to your old body in less than three months. If anyone is allowed the rights to bitch it's me" Alicia told her matter factorily. She knew Kate was being dramatic but couldn't help but snap with misdirected anger.

"Ok, are you going to punch that anger out?" Kate asked her with a smile. Alicia sighed and shook her head as she went back to punching the bag.

* * *

Later that evening, she was cooking dinner as her son played quietly on the floor of the lounge room.

"So, how about it?" the man with knife asked as he appeared beside her. She jumped and relaxed as she saw it was him, she wished he wouldn't sneak up on her. She continued to stir the food she was cooking on a low heat.

"No, it was stayed for two weeks. You shouldn't be here" She told him in a low voice as she didn't want her son to see them talking.

"Don't you like that feeling that it gives you? The power you hold over your victims? Come on, I know you like it. Don't let the others and their weakness hold you back." He told her as he traced an invisible pattern on her arm.

"I said 'No'. We had to finish off the last one in case he recovered but Deputy Renshaw's execution has been stayed it was a group vote. Now go away"

"I'll keep watch on her" he told her, the woman turned him her eyes wide as that was not the agreed plan. She also knew he liked to take advantage of an opportunity than keep to the schedule.

"No, we-" she started but he cut her off.

"Yes, with her preparation is 'key'. We cannot afford to mess this up she isn't like the others. I won't approach her or be caught I just want to watch her" he said to her.


	46. Chapter 46

Alicia woke up the next morning to the delicious aroma of French toast and fresh fruit, she laid onto her back in bed and noted Taylor's side of the bed was empty and cold. She pushed up in bed and stifled the groan as her muscles ached from yesterday's workout, it was a good kind of ache which she was going to have to get used to while her body regained its strength.

She looked at the end of the bed to the crib and noted the twins were inside and looked to be sleeping peacefully. They even had a change of outfits between the last feeding and when she woke up which was about 3 hours ago.

"Good Morning" Taylor said as he came into the bedroom with breakfast tray in his hands. "You sit up it's better for digestion" he told her, Alicia looked at him oddly but complied as she sat up in bed and made herself comfortable. Taylor placed the tray in front of her and she was amazed at the amount of care in preparation and presentation of the food.

"What's all this?" Alicia asked as she looked down at the French toast with fresh fruit, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

"I thought I would make my wife breakfast in bed" Taylor said as moved around the room picking up his gym bag that was already packed and his boots.

"Why?" Alicia asked suspicious of his motives and wondering where he was going at this time of the morning.

"I'm not allowed to do nice things for no reason?" he asked as he moved to his side of the bed and pulled on his boots. "Now I've done the washing, hung it out to dry and the girls have been fed and changed so they shouldn't kick up a stink for a hour or so" he added with a smile.

"Ok seriously, what is going on?" Alicia asked as she and Taylor shared everything. Not that she minded him doing housework or making her breakfast but she felt like she being buttered up for something. There was also the fact he was overdoing things breakfast in bed and getting up extra early it all stank to her like he was angling for something.

"Nothing, now enjoy your late breakfast. Kate will be here any minute" Taylor told her. Alicia raised an eyebrow and wondered how he knew Kate would be over soon.

"Is that why you are running away? By the way where are you going?" Alicia asked as Taylor usually worked from home unless something came up.

"You wouldn't believe me" he told her as he tied up the laces of his boots.

"Try me"

"Ok but you can't giggle about this with Kate"

"I don't giggle"

"You do when you're drunk or on pain meds" he told her.

"Then humour me. Promise I will not tell Kate"

"I'm training Malcolm in hand to hand combat and weaponry" Taylor said he didn't have to wait a second before Alicia burst out laughing as she was sure it was a joke. Malcolm abhorred violence but Taylor gave her the 'I told you that you wouldn't believe me' Look and she sobered up.

"What? You're being serious?" she asked in disbelief.

"I am, he approached me yesterday and asked me who I would recommend. He thinks it's better know how to fight back than stand around being useless." Taylor said, he wasn't going to say the real reasons that Malcolm had told him as he was sure Alicia would take it the wrong way.

"Wow. I didn't think I'd see the day when Malcolm Wallace would voluntarily pick up a weapon but why can't I tell Kate?" Alicia asked.

"Malcolm doesn't want it publicised. I also don't think he wants Kate to think she can help him"

"Ahh the old 'I don't like my ass handed to me by a girl' thing you boys have" Alicia said as she decided she would just accept the breakfast for what it was and eat it before it got cold.

"I think he just wants to know that he can protect his family if he has to than it being about ego" Taylor told her.

"Well good on him, it just shows how much he's changed if he can reconcile his issues with fighting and guns" Alicia commented before she ate a bite of her breakfast.

"We all make concessions and most of the time they are worth it" he told her. He got up from the bed and moved up to her side and leaned over her. She looked up at him and he leaned in to kiss her only to stop as a knock sounded at the front door.

"That's Kate" Taylor said with amused smile before he placed a quick kiss on her lips. "I'll see you at lunch" Taylor said as he left the room. Alicia looked down at her breakfast wishing he had kissed her properly instead of a perfunctory kiss.

She started into her breakfast and heard Kate talk with Taylor before he left the house. A second later, Kate came into the room and leaned against the door frame salaciously and smiled at Alicia.

"Hey Beautiful" Kate said with a sly smile.

"Hey yourself" Alicia said as she continued to eat amused by the flirtation in Kate's voice as she liked to mess around.

"Good Morning?" Kate asked tongue in cheek as she saw the breakfast tray.

"I only woke about 10 minutes ago" Alicia informed her as she continued to eat, she hadn't realised how famished she was until she started eating.

"So it was a good night" Kate said in appreciation.

"I got plenty of sleep with exception to the waking up to feed the twins and settling them" Alicia said as she knew Kate was inferring the breakfast was a 'thank you' for having sex with Taylor. It seemed Kate's mind was steeped in thoughts about sex and nothing else.

"So I take it you didn't take my advice of just throwing a leg over him?" Kate asked as she crawled onto the bed and sat beside Alicia with a huff as she made herself comfortable.

"Tell me why you're here so early?"

"Malcolm had to work early and I was bored" Kate told her.

"So are you going to be over here all the time when you aren't with Malcolm?" Alicia asked her between bites of her food.

"Until the murderer is caught, yeah I am. Is that ok?" Kate asked there was a hint of apprehension in Kate's tone that made Alicia feel sorry for the woman as she couldn't relax in her own home.

"Yeah, I like having the extra help with twins and your company is entertaining. So Gym today?" Alicia asked Kate as she wanted to keep her momentum up.

"You really want to get back into shape. Don't you?" Kate said as she slouched down in the bed and relaxed in the bed.

"Yes I love my girls but I'm ready to get my old body back. I don't like being completely soft it's too foreign for me" Alicia admitted.

"Well a few weeks of exercising every day. You'll be back in shape and feeling more like yourself but with big boobs as they'll remain until the kids are off the boob juice" Kate said frankly as she closed her eyes, alicia wondered if she was going to fall to sleep.

"Boob juice" Alicia repeated as Kate definitely had a way with words.

"I'd copyright it but I didn't make it up" Kate told her. Alicia chuckled at her friend as she cut up more of her breafast.

"You're such an oddball. Eat a blueberry" Alicia told Kate as she handed one to the woman who did as she was told and ate a blueberry.

"Mmm blueberries.. which reminds me I have an appointment in the afternoon. So we'll do the Gym after your breakfast has settled" Kate said knowing she had bought herself at least a half hour nap.

* * *

"Ok everything is looking great. I'm happy with all your test results and scans all look normal" Elisabeth told Kate, late that afternoon in the infirmary. Kate sat on the bed with Malcolm at her side.

"So it's a girl-ow" Malcolm said as Kate poked him hard in the side and gave him a dark look. He had prompted Elisabeth in the hopes she would let the gender of the baby slip without thinking.

"It's a 'thing' until I birth the little creature from my special place" Kate told Malcolm as it was one a few points of contention between them as Kate wanted a surprise while Malcolm just wanted to know everything.

"It's a baby with a gender. Not a 'thing' or a 'creature' " he told her which was another point of contention as he was really into knowing about everything in regards to their baby and excited while she really didn't want to think about all the aches, pains and stretch marks. She was definitely missing the 'mother' gene that made her clucky around babies like Elisabeth was with the twins. She knew it would change once the baby felt more real but right now it was just a tiny bump on her front and extra hormones and fatigue.

"I meant it in a loving way" Kate said mockingly as she rubbed her stomach that just looked like she was bloated from too much food or at least that's how she felt she really just wanted her belly to pop out into the pregnant look so then it would be official as right now she just felt fat. Malcolm raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"Anyway, I don't want to know and you can't know because you'll let it slip what the sex of the child is and then the jig will be up. I want it to be a surprise" Kate said.

"Fine, but if we accidently found out-" he started drawl but she cut him off.

"How would we accidently find out?" She asked dryly.

"If the scan was conducive and we saw something-"

"Like a penis" Kate said cutting him off again. Elisabeth placed a hand over her mouth to cover the smile she was wearing as she really enjoyed Kate and Malcolm's visit to the infirmary. They were never boring. It probably helped that Kate was hormonal and using it as an excuse to have no buffer turned on between her brain and her mouth which in turn scandalised Malcolm's pretentious upper class upbringing.

"How is it you can say 'Penis' but you call your vagina a 'special place'?" Malcolm asked sarcastically as he really didn't want to look anywhere but at his wife for then he would know how many people were eavesdropping besides Elisabeth.

"Because that's what it is. You don't think it's a special place?" Kate asked in a mockingly innocent manner.

"I think that I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you right now in the middle of infirmary" Malcolm told her in an equally mocking tone. He never thought he would be having such a juvenile conversation in public let alone be the one to start it.

"Well if you don't think it's special then come out and just say it. I won't be too offended but my special place will probably prohibit you from visiting" Kate said casually as if they were discussing a walk in the park. Malcolm shook his head at her and chuckled.

"Remind me why I married you?" Malcolm asked her as he ran a hand over his face and looked at her. Kate sat up straighter on the bed and used her fingers to list off the reasons as she spoke.

"Hmm let's see my stunning looks, my quirky sense of humour and that thing that I do with my tongue" Kate offered with a saucy smile.

"What thing?" Elisabeth asked interrupting Kate as she was half curious and just wanted to keep watching the two interact. Malcolm's neck went red from embarrassment as Kate looked to Elisabeth with an eager expression to explain if only to make Malcolm squirm.

"Oh you see I-" Kate started only for Malcolm to cut her off.

"Ok are we done here?" Malcolm asked Elisabeth as the topic of the baby's gender was no longer on the table and he had no desire to have his wife and ex girlfriend swap sex tips in front of him. Elisabeth and Kate smiled at one another before Elisabeth spoke.

"Yes, we are done for today. Just remember Kate that you need to take it easy with the exercise. I know you have free time now but that doesn't mean exercising 8 hours a day"

"Only 2 hours. Of which is broken up into smaller increments spread out through the day and most of it is meditative." Kate said defensively. Elisabeth gave a tilt of the head as she wasn't going to argue with Kate.

"Ok, well other than that I will see you in two weeks for a follow up" She told them with a smile.

"Thank you Doc" Kate said.

* * *

Alicia turned the taps to make herself a hot bath. She groaned as her body complained at the movement as she and Kate had worked hard at the Gym. Well, Alicia had pushed herself while Kate had been supportive and did half the amount of exercise.

The twins were in their crib having an afternoon nap and would hopefully stay asleep for at least half an hour. Though all she needed was 15 minutes. She went to the cabinet and pulled out the Epson salt and moved back to the bath. She was half way through making the bath when Taylor found her.

"Epsom salt baths already?" he asked surprised as he took the container from her hand and continued to make her bath without even asking her. Alicia stepped back and leaned against the vanity for support as her legs were ready to give out as her muscles were sore and tired.

"Yeah getting back into shape is never easy or pain free" Alicia said dryly as she watched him, enjoying the view as he was wearing his usual BDU pants and tight black t-shirt.

"You shouldn't push yourself" Taylor said as he turned off the taps and turned back to face her.

"It's only been two days my muscles are just remembering that they are supposed to be supple and lean instead of jelly" Alicia said as Taylor moved toward her and placed the container of epsom salt on the sink. He didn't move away from her as she had expected instead he moved in closer crowding her. Alicia kept her eyes locked with his as she tried vainly not to close her eyes and enjoy just his close proximity and scent too much.

"You know I love you no matter how you look" he told her as he knew she was self conscious of how she looked due to the changes in her body from the pregnancy. It was why she hid under baggy tops and tights or maxi dresses. At least she wasn't hiding everything under baggy clothing.

After his talk with Kate he had decided he was going to bring back the intimacy their relationship was missing even if it were just heated looks and invading her personal space and touching her innocuously. It was just the start of his plan. He looked down at her showing her everything she needed to know with his eyes. Showing support where he could and making it known that he loved her.

"That's good to know, I'm going to have my bath now" she told him in a tone that said he should leave. She was struggling to keep her hands to herself as she gripped the vanity but she also didn't want him looking at her naked in the afternoon light pouring into the bathroom.

"Ok" he said not moving.

"You're not going to go are you?" she asked.

"I could join you" he offered with a smile.

"Nathaniel, please go" Alicia said folding her arms across her chest and looking down as she was self conscious of her body, it was fine when she was all stretched out and pregnant with twins inside her but now she was saggy skin and soft body. Not the lean and supple body he had the joy of knowing the past decade and more.

"You're my wife it isn't anything I have seen, felt or tasted before" he drawled in a low and salacious tone to her. He watched how Alicia's breath quickened and heat rose from her body a clear sign he was affecting her and this time it wasn't anger he was receiving from her. "Anyway your muscles are stiff and sore, let me help you get undressed and into the bath" he told her.

"I don't need you to do everything for me. I'm not an invalid" Alicia told him.

"I know but I want to see you naked… well I want more than that but that can wait. Let me undress you and save you pain of moving those sore muscles for you" he said, Alicia bit her bottom lip as she thought over his proposition before she gave a nod and turned her back to him so she wouldn't see his reactions.

Taylor smiled as Alicia turned her back to him. He could see Alicia's cheeks were a lovely shade of pink as she closed her eyes so she wouldn't see his or reflection in the mirror. She took a deep breath as if preparing herself for the worst. He licked his lips as he ran his hands slowly down her back and under the ¾ sleeve loose cotton shirt she was wearing and tank top. He took his time slowly lifting her top up and off her body enjoying the feel of her skin. She gave a soft moan of pleasure as he slowly massaged the muscles of her back moving up indicating he would be taking off her bra even though it wasn't a part of his plan at all. Instead he continued to massage slowly up and then trailed his hands south.

Alicia wasn't sure if she was in heaven or hell as Taylor slowly undressed her and massaged her sore muscles. He was taking his sweet time undressing her but she wasn't going to complain as she moaned in pleasure as he massaged the knots and pains from her muscles.

She was just glad she had made the bath water boiling hot as she was pretty sure it would be stone cold by the time she got in if she hadn't. Soon her pants were off and her eyes enjoying the feel of his calloused hands running slowly up the back of her legs. Standing up wasn't conducive for a full body massage but Taylor definitely making sure that he touch every part of her body. Though he was driving her mad as he skated over her more intimate areas leaving them neglected as he continued up her body massaging her lower back and spine.

"Oh that feels good" Alicia told him as he had her down to her underwear. The sexual tension in the air was palpable as all it would take was for Alicia to turn around and kiss him but she didn't even though every fibre of her being wanted to. He moved his hands up her flanks and then pressed his body flush against his there was no missing his arousal that was pressing into her ass cheek.

"It all feels good to me" he whispered hotly in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her middle holding her close. She could feel his breath erratic as he had worked himself up just by touching her, she wasn't any better herself as she leaned her head back on his shoulder taking a moment to really enjoy the feel of Taylor's body moulded against hers. He placed a kiss on the curve of her neck and was about to follow it up with another when a cry sounded out from where Alicia had left the twins. Alicia gave a moan of protest as their innocent yet entirely hot interlude.

"I'll go take care of them while you soak" Taylor said as he reluctantly withdrew himself from Alicia and left the bathroom closing the door behind him. Alicia turned her back to the mirror and stripped out of her underwear and sank slowly into the hot bath with a shalf frustrated and satisfied sigh.

* * *

A few days later, Alicia was sitting at the dining table with Taylor eating breakfast opposite one another at the table.

"So big plans today?" Taylor asked Alicia, making conversation as he ate his breakfast. He had spent the last week doing things for Alicia and purposefully touching her and giving her massages when she accepted them but ke kept all his touches innocent to frustrate her while he gave her heated looks. If she didn't know any better he was even flirting with her. While she didn't mind the flirting she did however find the flowers and the innocent touching incredibly annoying though the massages were definitely welcomed.

"Late morning yoga with Maddy and Kate, then lunch after with Elisabeth and Kate. Afternoon is undecided why? You want to join us?" Alicia asked him, Taylor chuckled and shook his head.

"No, I was just curious if should I run you an Epsom salt bath when you get home?" he said as Alicia had been making a habit of exercising hard daily and thus requiring an Epsom salt bath and massages daily. All of which he was happy to provide. She was lucky that Kate had suggested the instalment of said bath otherwise Alicia would've been walking around sore for a few days until her body grew accustomed to exercising again.

"No, yoga is pretty tame I'll be fine but thank you for the offer" Alicia said to him as she noticed he was watching her again as he ate.

"How about a long hot bath just the two of us?" Taylor offered with a sexy quirk of the lips before he ate some more of his breakfast.

"What is it with you and all this?" Alicia asked frustrated by his special treatment and lack of follow through on the sex but she was also glad he wasn't following through as she still wasn't comfortable with her body and exhausted from taking turns getting up to be with the twins in the night. She had been quiet but now she just had to know what his end game was.

"All what?" Taylor asked pretending to be confused as he knew it was driving her insane as she tried to figure out why he was going out his way for her for no reason at all and not pushing her for anything.

"The flowers, the free massages, the baths and doing my chores, being very unlike you and the staring" Alicia told him.

"You're beautiful, why should I not enjoy looking at you" he told her with a soft smile.

"You're up to something" She said looking at him through narrow eyes.

"I'm not up to anything, I'm just enjoying what I have in life. You said you wanted space and time so I'm helping give you the time and the space. You didn't say I couldn't watch you from said 'space' and what else am I going to look at?" he asked her innocently.

"The walls, your breakfast, the twins" Alicia offered as she couldn't help her body's reaction to him looking at her. Her heart was racing in a good way as her cheeks heated up. He really knew how to pull her strings as she really wanted to climb across the table and kiss him but at the same time slap him. He gave an amused smile.

"The twins are in their crib and I can't see them from here like I can you from across the table" he told her as he even moved in his seat to see if he could see the twins.

"Just know that it won't work. It won't get you back in my good books" Alicia told him.

"I didn't think so... I just thought the flowers brighten up the place and excuse me if I will take every opportunity to touch your body and for the record I enjoy looking at you because you're my beautiful wife and I love you. I help out more around the house so you have the 'time' you need so you can process your anger and do what you want as well as look after the twins and Kate" he told her.

"So it's for you?" Alicia said as it sounded like he was getting as many benefits as she was even though he was the one breaking his hump.

"It's for us" he told her.

* * *

" 'It's for us' Can you believe that? what a line? am I supposed to melt at that?" Alicia asked over lunch with Elisabeth and Kate. Maddy had gone off for a lunch date with Reynolds before he went on duty. Alicia had been venting her frustration to the women about Taylor's change of routine and what he'd been doing wondering what their take was on the situation. The Twins were in carry chairs on the table in plain view of Elisabeth who was having a baby cuteness meltdown every few seconds as she looked at them with a face that said 'I want another baby, they are just so adorable'.

"Yeah what an asshole! Are you ok? Do you want me to kick his ass?" Kate asked Alicia in mocking manner as she had stopped eating and turned in her seat to look at Alicia who was sitting beside her at the Shannon dining table. Alicia shot her a dark look as she wanted proper advice not a smart ass response.

"It's not like that, he just touches my arm or neck like this" Alicia said as she demonstrated on Kate who was sitting next to her. Kate had jumped at first before realising what Alicia was doing then she leaned into her. Pretending to enjoy herself which only annoyed Alicia as Kate was mocking her.

"What's so bad about that? I mean he could pet you like a cute animal. You know something like this" Kate said as she tickled Alicia's lower back making her flinch.

"Ok you can stop that" Alicia said as it was a really creepy and uncomfortable sensation but Kate continued.

"Why? am I making you feel a little creeped out and completely uncomfortable?" Kate asked with a mischievous grin as Alicia smacked her hand away.

"Yes, I'm going to sit next to Elisabeth now" Alicia said as she swapped to the seat on the opposite side next to Elisabeth who was laughing at them. Kate gave a victorious smile as she shifted her seat so she was comfortable.

"Finally I got this side all to myself" Kate said with a satisfied sigh as she spread her arms out.

"Anyway I don't like it. I feel like he's buttering me up for something" Alicia said.

"Sex, he's buttering you up for sex" Kate answered as if it were a game show.

"Thanks Miss one track mind but not everything is about sex" Alicia said as she pulled her food and glass of water to her new place at the table.

"I do realise this but usually when a guy is all touchy feely he wants some action" Kate said before she took a long sip of water.

"I think you're over thinking it. Just enjoy it for what it is. You have more time for the twins and don't have to do house work I see that as a bonus. More time for these two lovely girls" Elisabeth said as she was seated next to the twins who were awake and quite passive for being outside of their home.

"So I should just take- Don't even say it Kate" Alicia said as she was halfway through saying what she was going to when she saw Kate look at her with a mischievous grin it soon turned into one of innocence. But Alicia and Elisabeth both knew better.

"What? I wasn't going to say anything" Kate said innocently.

"Sure you weren't as you're now thinking it" Alicia said dryly.

"But you can't hear my thoughts" Kate told her in a matter of factorial manner.

"But it's not that hard to read your face to know what you're thinking" Elisabeth told Kate with a chuckle.

"Ok I'm sorry but I think one would enjoy all the special treatment while it lasts. You're going to go back to work one day and he's going to be such an ass to you to show no preferential treatment" Kate said.

"She does have a point, how is that going work out?" Elisabeth asked Alicia as she didn't understand how Alicia would remain as the second in command of the military contingent with the current rules. Even if they were bent to suit their situation the command structure was still compromised.

"I'm not sure, we'll see if I return to duty" Alicia said carefully.

"If" Kate asked as Alicia knew the woman would spot her choice of words.

"Well we have twins, they are going to be a handful and my parents weren't around much for me. I don't want it to be like that for them with me" Alicia admitted as she had been thinking about not returning to duty ever since the twins were born.

"You want to be a stay at home mum" Kate said.

"Yeah, well no" Alicia said shaking her head as she would need more than just the twins to keep her happy "I was thinking I'd could still help out but in a lesser capacity and give up my service that way promotions can be given out to those who have earned it" she said testing the waters with Kate and Elisabeth if they reacted badly she wouldn't bring it up with Taylor but if they didn't then she'd know it was ok for her to bring it up casually with Taylor.

"So you'd be like me minus the being a 'deputy' part" Kate said.

"Sort of, yes. What do you two think?" Alicia asked.

"Well not seeing you walk around again with a gun strapped to your hip will definitely be different" Elisabeth commented neutrally.

"I think you should do what makes you happy. To be honest I'll be happy on the day when I don't have to walk around with a gun strapped to my hip" Kate told her as she was missing the feel of her weapon strapped to her hip as Alicia had it.

"Or a gun strapped to your hip while practising yoga. That poor insect" Alicia said as Kate had accidently shot an insect thinking it was someone about to attack, lucky Kate had her gun on its lowest setting so it survived but had been knocked unconscious.

"It survived but I'm beginning to think Guzman enjoys slapping me with those fines" Kate said wistfully as she had gained yet another fine for discharging her weapon in a public area endangering lives. It was a law that definitely needed to be rewritten.

Alicia and Elisabeth exchanged looks as it had been both amusing and slightly worrisome as Kate was still like a live wire. Luckily she was happy to hand the weapon over to Alicia for the time being while they were at the Shannons. When they got back to Alicia's house the weapon would be returned to her.

"Do you want to talk about that?" Alicia asked.

"Not really" Kate said as she finished the last bite of her food. Elisabeth and Alicia looked at her and she gave a sigh and pushed her plate from her. "What do you want me to say?" Kate asked as she folded her arms. Her body language screaming that she didn't want to talk about it but Alicia wasn't going to let it go.

"Something along the lines of the truth" Alicia suggested.

"I have a killer on my back, she has to be following me. It's only logical that I carry a weapon in case she spots an oportunity to kill me and takes it. My TO told me 'It's better to shoot first and ask questions later' " Kate said frankly while Elisabeth and Alicia shot her looks that said they didn't agree.

"Kate-" Elisabeth started but Kate cut her off.

"I'm pregnant Ok?!" Kate said throwing her hands up in the air in surrender.

"Yeah the whole colony got that memo" Alicia quipped Kate shot her a dark look before she continued.

"And it has become apparent to me that it's not just my ass on the line anymore. Which is not an easy concept for me to wrap my head around. I've spent most of my life knowing I'm dispensable, there is nothing special about me that if I die. There were many other soldiers to replace me but I can't treat a kid, my kid with that regard. I can't make those choices and I can't risk the collateral damage" Kate said with a despondant shrug, it was apparent that Kate was scared and clearly distressed by having someone lurking in the shadows.

Though she would never admit to being scared unless pushed and neither Elisabeth or Alicia saw it necessary as it was the first time Kate had acknowledged she was having a baby and calling it a 'kid' not a 'creature', 'thing' or 'parasite'.

"So anyway can we get back to Taylor trying to treat his wife and her not understanding that it is a good thing? Or perhaps Liz you have some issues you'd like to discuss?" Kate asked wanting to redirect the conversation away from herself.

"I think Alicia should take the massages and all the good stuff because it won't last" Elisabeth told her.

"Speaking from experience?" Kate asked with a cheeky smile.

"Children do get in the way when it comes to getting in the mood and having 'couple' time. While it's not bad it does make one wish they had embraced the spare moments they have left before those twins run amok" Elisabeth said wisely with a telling smile.

"Ok, ok I'll be more receptive and less questioning of his motives. Can we talk about your problems now?" Alicia asked Elisabeth in the hopes they would stop talking about her.

"Yeah, no complaints about your husband or life in general?" Kate asked Elisabeth. Elisabeth smiled smugly and shook her head.

"No, life is pleasantly content and drama free for me" Elisabeth said.

"Until-"

"Ah! No jinxing me! See I'm touching wood it stays that way thank you very much" Elisabeth said cutting Kate off as she knocked her knuckles on the wooden table.

* * *

TBC


	47. Chapter 47

_A/N: Thank yous for the reviews and have an excellent Christmas/festive holiday of your religious denomination etc that you celebrate!.. little warning I edited this late and my brain was wonky so firgive the tiny mistakes I missed and as always ENJOY!_

* * *

"Alicia, I didn't know you were carrying a weapon again?" Taylor mused when he came home to find Alicia and Kate settling the twins into the crib they had pulled out of the bedroom into the living area. He noticed that Alicia had a sonic pistol strapped to her thigh. He had to admit it was incredibly hot for him to see her wearing a gun and soon dismissed the salacious thoughts in his head as Kate was in the room so he couldn't take advantage of the situation without making Kate uncomfortable.

"I'll be taking that with me" Kate said as more of a reminder to herself than Alicia but also making it known that it was Kate's gun not that Taylor didn't already know.

"Yeah I heard you shot a bug before lunch" Taylor said making conversation as he put on the kettle in the kitchen.

"It survived" Kate told him. She lack the empathy to really care if the bug was alive or dead but Maddy had well and truly made up for it as she had made enough fuss for both of them to take it to Malcolm which was where she had been slapped with yet another fine from Guzman. Everyone found amusing even Malcolm who assured her that they would survive numerous fines before they had to start worrying about money. But he did say he'd prefer to spend the money on more frivolous things like furniture and clothing for their kid since they hadn't bought anything but a crib that Carter was still making.

"Unlike the vase" Taylor said keeping his tone light as he mocked her for having a twitchy trigger finger. Kate rolled her eyes as it wasn't the first time she had heard that joke a million times before.

"Would you two like some tea?" he asked them, changing the topic.

"Sure" Kate said, she really wanted to go home and take a long nap before dinner but she was afraid to be in her house alone. It had taken a few nights to settle down and actually sleep through the night instead of waking to every noise but then Malcolm was there at night so she wasn't alone.

Alicia unstrapped the gun from her thigh and placed it on the dining table as she took Taylor's usual seat as Kate took hers on the opposite side.

"How was lunch?" he asked them as he set up the cups and made the tea bringing to the table before going back to the kitchen area to make coffee for himself.

"It was good" Alicia said as Taylor sat down next to her. She shot Kate a glower look as Kate was sitting looking at them with a slightly amused expression like she was expecting something to happen.

"What?" Taylor asked as he didn't miss the look between the women.

"Nothing, Kate is just being annoying" Alicia said with sigh.

"I'm just sitting here, innocently waiting for the tea cool down" Kate said in a mockingly innocent manner while Alicia narrowed her eyes at Kate before turning her attention to Taylor.

"How was work?" she asked him.

"Work" he answered which really meant he wasn't going to talk about it with Kate in the room.

"Whoa don't be verbose about it" Kate murmured sarcastically as her comm. unit buzzed. She gave an apologetic smile as she pulled it out of her pocket and read the message.

"Everything alright?" Alicia asked as Kate wore a puzzled expression.

"Yeah, Evan is asking if I can pick up the kids and look after them at his place as he's working late tonight" Kate said as she typed back a reply saying it was fine. She hit the send button and looked at the time noting that Olivia would be finished at day care in 15 minutes.

"I assume Malcolm will be helping you" Taylor said.

"No he's working late something to do with end of month reports. He told me over breakfast this morning. Why?" Kate asked Taylor as she pocketed her comm. unit and looked at him.

"You should bring the kids over here for dinner" Taylor said Alicia nearly choked on her tea in surprise as it was the first time he had offered to host Evan's kids and sounded like he wanted to see the kids not as a social obligation. Kate smiled as she hadn't missed Alicia's reaction.

"I can handle two ankle biters and anyway you guys probably want your own space" Kate said with an amused face as she really wanted Alicia and Taylor to have some 'alone' time to see if Alicia would give into Taylor and his rusty 'seduction' skills.

"Maybe you can but I haven't spent enough time with my neice and nephew. I'd like it if you and the kids stayed for dinner" Alicia said.

"Oo playing the family card. Good one" Kate replied as if she commentating on a game show.

"I'm cooking a roast so you might as well bring them here as it will save you the hassle of cooking" Taylor added as he realised he was winning brownie points with his suggestion. Not that he did it to win ground with Alicia, well not entirely. He had decided it was time he united the family properly and tried to have some kind of relationship with Evan and his kids so they could come to trust him for support as they did Alicia.

"Ok" Kate said not bothering to put up a fight she always too tired to put up much of a fight to begin with.

"That was a quick surrender. I was also going to tell you we have sorbet" Alicia said.

"I'm too tired to fight about not coming to dinner but when you have mango sorbet smeared on your arm and the tables don't go complaining to me" Kate told them.

* * *

Alicia held Ella in her arms as the baby decided to kick up a fuss and the only way to keep her quiet was to walk and bounce her around the room. Ava was out like a light but then she had been walked around by Taylor earlier.

Alicia watched Taylor and Sean talk avidly about dinosaurs at the dining while Kate was on the lounge with Olivia both struggling to keep their eyes open as Kate was probably telling Olivia the story she had been begging her to do all afternoon. It was unreal to her to think she'd have such a scene before her but it was a nice one.

She walked over to the table and smiled at Taylor as he flicked his eyes up to meet her for a second before he turned his attention back to Sean who was still talking about what he was learning in school about the jungle outside the gates.

"You're a bright kid if you're learning all that" Taylor said in an interested manner as Sean talked nonstop about school and everything he had learned.

Alicia mused how much of an effort Taylor was putting in with the kids this time than he had the last time. He had laughed when Olivia called him 'Santa', it probably didn't help that Olivia had forgotten the first time she had met Taylor and his white beard just stirred up memories of Santa. It took Kate and Alicia a while to get the little girl to understand that Taylor was not Santa but her Uncle who is called 'Taylor' which still needed work as Olivia called him 'Tater'.

He made a genuine effort and she truly appreciated it, she kept moving on her feet leaving the boys to their discussion and walked over to Kate and Olivia were sitting. She saw Olivia had fallen to sleep while Kate was staring into nowhere still talking.

Alicia tapped Kate's foot to get her attention and Kate looked up at her with a drowsy expression.

"She's asleep" Alicia said in a low voice, Kate looked down to her side at Olivia who was indeed asleep. "You don't look far behind her yourself" Alicia added.

"Yeah, what's the time?" Kate asked.

"8pm" Alicia informed her.

"Fair enough" Kate said with a yawn as she slowly moved Olivia without waking her, so she was lying comfortably on the lounge. She stood up and stretched her arms above her head. "I think it's time I got these two to their own beds" Kate said.

"We can put them in the guest room and you can sleep on the couch" Alicia told her.

"Evan's house a couple doors down not a two hour drive" Kate told Alicia with an amused smile.

"What's this?" Taylor asked as Sean had disappeared, Alicia assumed the bathroom as Taylor got up from the table and moved to stand beside Alicia.

"I'm thinking of taking the kids back to Evan's house getting them settled for the night" Kate said.

"I think they should stay here until Evan comes home" Alicia said to Taylor who gave a nod in agreement to Alicia's statement.

"Are you worried about me?" Kate asked.

"Yes but for you and the kids being alone. Here we have extra security, locked doors and guards" Alicia told her honestly she looked to Taylor to back her up.

"There's no harm in you three staying here until Evan and Malcolm finish up" Taylor offered.

"Guys I appreciate the concern but I'll be fine, the kids will be fine. Evan isn't a target-"

"But you are" Alicia said cutting her off. Kate looked at her with a look that said 'that was a low blow' and opened her mouth to say something when Taylor spoke up.

"Ok Compromise. I'll go the house get some of the kids gear. You and the kids will stay here. The kids can have the two single beds in the guest room and I'll take the couch. No arguments" Taylor told them as he really didn't want to listen to them argue.

"You know a compromise is where the two parties both come to an agreement after both sides make concessions and I'll take the couch. I know what you two have been doing in that bed" Kate informed him.

"Fine, I'll be back in ten" Taylor said he tapped Sean on the shoulder and asked if the boy would help him grab some gear as he and sister were sleeping over. Sean smiled as he nodded and the two left the house.

"Do you need a hand getting the beds ready?" Kate asked Alicia as she couldn't believe how freakishly prepared Alicia and Taylor were for the twins in having single beds ready on hand for when the twins were older.

"No, Taylor and I made up the beds when you went to pick up Olivia. So you can relax" Alicia told her with a smug manner as she had won the argument.

"Apparently you two made up more than just the beds in the half hour I was gone. I'm glad I didn't take the bed" Kate commented Alicia smacked her arm.

"We didn't do that. We talked and anyway why were you so long in picking her up?" Alicia asked as Kate had been gone for over half an hour.

Taylor and Alicia had agreed that Kate and the kids would stay over and for that to happen they would have to be a united front. It had been an interesting negotiation of power as Taylor usually laid down the law while everyone including Alicia capitulated. Not this time or in their house as they renegotiated. It made the anger she felt lessen as she felt Taylor was giving her some control of her life back.

"Olivia woke up from nap time with a bad case of terrible twos and decided to continue with her bad behaviour so she was put in the naughty corner until I picked her up. I can't believe after a century there's still a naughty corner." Kate said as she pulled out her comm. unit to update Evan and Malcolm of the changes.

* * *

"Apparently Kate and the kids are staying at Taylor's" Malcolm remarked as he wrote a reply to Kate. He really loved that he had a wife even one who could be incredibly crass at times. He was amazed at how possessive he was becoming of her in the last few weeks but he also like belonging to someone and having the commitment of 'until death do we part'.

"Ok, can I ask you a question?" Evan asked.

"Sure" Malcolm said as pressed the send button on his message.

"Does it bother you that we are treating Lucas like he's an agoraphobic colleague than a prisoner?" Evan asked. He had visited Lucas a couple of times and every time Evan felt like he wanted to be sick to his stomach as Lucas liked to deviate to topics of conversation about Kate and his time during the occupation with his sister. What Lucas had said to him this morning nearly made him lose his cool demeanour and make him want to punch the man. Some how he managed to control himself and made a mental note to talk to Alicia as he couldn't keep what he was hearing to himself. He also knew if he could finish the project sooner and that way he would lower the number of visits he'd have to make with Lucas. Hence why he wanted to finish the section he was on tonight so he could talk to Alicia in the morning.

"Immensely but we need him to finish the calculations as I would rather we tether the fracture and close it than deal with the alternative. Why do you ask?" Malcolm asked him.

"Just that you don't act like it bothers you" Evan said as he wanted to know he wasn't the only one hating the fact they had to work with Lucas. Malcolm looked down at the circuitry board he was working on and gave a shrug.

"I have more important things to be concerned about than Lucas Taylor. I also know he likes to play mind games so everything he says shouldn't be taken at face value" Malcolm said. He hadn't had the pleasure of Lucas's pleasure but he had asked Taylor about it when they exercised in the morning.

"Something you wrote?" Evan asked referring to Malcolm's journals.

"No, something Taylor and Kate told me on separate occasions recently" Malcolm said.

"Kate talked to you about Lucas" Evan said surprised.

"Briefly and I won't go into detail with you but yes we have discussed it" Malcolm said carefully as he didn't want Evan to think Malcolm would talk to him about Kate's experiences with Lucas. The only reason Kate had opened up was that he asked her in reference to their shared history and wanting to understand why she felt she wasn't handling herself well in the last few weeks. She had been reticent but had opened up about it but only briefly.

"Taylor told me she didn't talk about it with anyone. Not even with him and he told me to never bring it up with her" Evan remarked as he was sure Taylor knew everybody's business.

"I wouldn't if I were you especially in her current state" Malcolm said as he really didn't want Kate being upset when it wasn't necessary.

"She isn't exactly coping well is she?" Evan asked.

"No she isn't but then it's an adjustment period for her and for me. Luckily it's easier for me as I'm not coping with an amnesiac husband, a killer on my back or being pregnant that is all kinds of dramas on it's own." Malcolm said casually as if they were talking about something innocuous as the weather.

"It's been over two months. I thought she was trained to adapt quickly and not be bothered by any of this" Evan said.

"Rome wasn't built in a day." Malcolm said throwing out a platitude as he really didn't want to discuss Kate with Evan when he had already spoken with taylor who was far more forgiving and understanding about Kate and her issues that he offered Malcolm insight so he could support Kate instead of saying the wrong thing and being insensitive.

"But Kate toppled 2150 in less than 72 hours" Evan quipped.

"It's easier to destroy something than it is to build and maintain. Why are we arguing this?" Malcolm asked looking up from his work to Evan.

"We're not arguing. I just find Kate is so straight forward yet hard to understand" Evan said.

"Welcome to my world" Malcolm said with amused smile.

* * *

Alicia watched Taylor as he closed the doors to their bedroom and walked to the nightstand in nothing but his pyjama pants and a clean black t-shirt. He never wore clothing to bed but considering he couldn't wander the hallways buck naked with Kate and Evan's kids he wore them so he could shower and wander the house double checking all the windows and doors were secure for Kate's sake as he had taken her gun from her and left it in the kitchen drawer before he changed his mind and brought it into the bedroom. That way if Kate was going to pull a swifty and take the gun she have to come into their bedroom.

Alicia got off the bed and moved toward him as he stood with his back to the room as he placed Kate's gun in the dresser drawer and then pulled off his t-shirt. She placed her hands on his back and he stilled for a moment before relaxing. She moved her hands slowly round from the back to front as she closed the space between them and placed a kissed on his spine.

"Thank you" she said in a low voice as she embraced him from behind and laid her head on his back just holding him to her.

"For what?" he asked in a low voice as he folded the shirt up and placed it on the dresser. They would have spoken at normal level but Kate had super hearing powers and was currently passed out on the lounge in the living room.

"For being good with the kids and patient with Kate" Alicia said, she silently mused at how her best friend sometimes doubled as a troublesome pregnant third child who Taylor and Alicia had to parent and supervise.

"They are family" he said as he turned in her arms to face her. "I wasn't exactly on my best behaviour last time Sean and Olivia were here. I decided to rectify that. Though Olivia and I didn't get much bonding time" he said with amused smile as Olivia had been more interested in Kate and Alicia than him.

"Olivia is quite attached to anyone who will read her a good story" Alicia told him as she had been the one who bathed and changed the girl for bed. She had also read Olivia the same story she loved to hear over and over again until she fell asleep. All the while Taylor, Kate and Sean played checked the locks on the windows and doors. Sean thought it was a great game while Taylor thought it unnecessary but did it for Kate's peace of mind.

"I'll keep that in mind next time" Taylor said as he looked down at Alicia, he had been putting on a good effort and to finally have her holding him and looking at him like he wasn't public enemy number one was all worth it.

"You know you'll have to keep your pants on" she told him in a matter factorial manner.

"Why?" he asked.

"Cause we have guests" Alicia told him as her eyes darted to the door he had closed.

"We slept naked with Kate in the house all the time" Taylor reminded her and he saw the flicker of desire start in her eyes as he knew she was thinking about them being naked and everything that entailed.

"Kate is a woman in her later 20's who has seen a few naked men and women her time. She doesn't ask questions and she also understands boundaries unlike Olivia and Sean" Alicia told him.

"You going to make this rule when our girls are all grown up?" He asked as he ran his hands up her back to cup her face and neck. He liked her hair when it was out loose around her shoulders as it was in that moment.

"It's not a rule but maybe something to keep in mind as kids sometimes like to climb into bed with their parents without asking permission" Alicia told him with a smile as she would enjoy watching him give their kids the 'sex' talk and why he didn't have the same anatomy as Alicia did. The same anatomy that was making itself be known that it wanted some attention.

"Not in this house, our bed is our space" Taylor told her before he captured her lips in a slow and languid kiss. He kissed like he had all the time in the world as he stuck to his 'taking things slow' plan. It was working so far even if he needed more cold showers and exercised to work off the sexual frustration he felt.

Alicia leaned into the kiss relishing the intimacy of the kiss as she opened herself up to him and deepened the kiss sliding her tongue into his mouth. Taylor groaned in pleasure as he moved a hand down to her lower back pulling her body flush against his.

"The pants stay on and be quiet the twins and Kate are sleeping" Alicia murmured when she pulled her mouth away from his and moved towards the bed as she'd rather be making out like a teenager lying down than standing up especially with a bed only a couple of steps away.

"You're no fun" Taylor said playfully in a low voice as he watched her with a hungry look.

"I'm challenging and you love it. Now shut up and kiss me" Alicia told him.

* * *

"Ok, I'm calling it" Malcolm said as he couldn't focus his eyes any longer to continue soldering circuitry boards. He stood up and stretched his arms above his head with a sigh as his muscles were sore from holding uncomfortable position hunched over the lab table for long hours.

Evan gave a nod as he agreed it was time to quit for the night as it was nearly 11pm. He wondered If Alicia and Taylor would mind keeping the kids overnight to save disturbing their sleep. Well he knew Alicia wouldn't mind Taylor was the swing vote.

"Sounds good to me" Evan said as he started cleaning up the table so when he came back in 8 hours it would be clean and ready for more work. Malcolm pulled out his comm. and quickly typed a message to Kate before he helped Evan clean up the table.

* * *

Alicia had truly missed the intimacy she was experiencing in the innocence of their current setting. They were still fully clothed and were lying on the bed with her on her back and her legs wrapped loosely around his hips, hungrily kissing one another, they kept their hands in relatively safe zones. It didn't help that they were both completely and fiercely turned on but Taylor wasn't taking it further and Alicia didn't want to in case Malcolm or Evan showed up. She did not need her brother catching her inflagrante even if it was with her husband.

"You sure about the pants staying on?" Taylor asked Alicia as he broke the kiss and looked down at her, she smiled with a lazy satisfied smile.

"Maybe I'm enjoying myself" she drawled in a husky voice as she rolled her hips making him drop his head and stifle a groan into the curve of her neck. He lifted his head and was about to say something about killing him when a knock sounded at the door. "And that's probably my brother and Malcolm"

"Talk about ruining a good time" Taylor grumbled Alicia shot him a look "Excuse me if the last people I want to think about with an erection is your brother and Malcolm" he told her, she gave a chuckle and smiled.

"That does comfort me, I'll get the door while you cool down" Alicia said as she motioned for him to move, he obliged and rolled to his side and watched her get up and straighten her clothing before leaving the room to allow him sometime to cool down but in his current state it was going to take more than a cold shower.

* * *

Alicia opened the door to Malcolm and Evan who looked completely exhausted. "Hey guys come on in. Can I offer you some coffee?" she asked as she welcomed them into the house and closed the door behind them.

"Thank you for the offer but I think I'll just take my wife go home, where is Kate?" he asked as he had expected to see her up and waiting for him but then it made sense that as to why she hadn't answered his last message.

"She's asleep on the lounge" Alicia said as she gestured to lounge where Kate was currently lying face down on fast asleep. She was amazed at how Malcolm could not spot his wife in plain view but then the man looked ready to fall into a heap so she forgave him.

"I will take that coffee" Evan said to Alicia.

"Ok" Alicia said as she went to the kitchen and made the coffee. Evan took a seat at the dining table and gave an exhausted sigh as he watched Malcolm move to the lounge and knelt down in front of Kate. He felt an ache inside of him as he missed his wife the times they used to share and turned his attention back to Alicia.

"So I hope the kids weren't too much" Evan said making conversation with his sister to distract himself.

"No they were fine." Alicia said Evan watched his sister and noticed for the first time in the last few weeks she was looking happy. Genuinely happy, obviously Taylor had gotten back into Alicia's good graces again. Not that Evan minded as he'd prefer his sister to be happy than miserable even if it was with Taylor.

"Oh good, I was worried about Olivia I can't seem to get her into line at the moment" Evan said admitting he wasn't the perfect parent as he was forever struggling to keep a balance between work and the kids. It just reminded him of how he missed having his wife around seeing his sister with the twins and Kate and Malcolm in their honeymoon phase. He wasn't ready to start dating but it didn't change the fact he felt the ache.

"Two year olds are supposed to be difficult and besides a fascination in wanting to hear the same story over and over. She was good, though apparently she got another warning at Day care" Alicia said throwing him a smile as she found it amusing.

"Maybe I'll take tomorrow off and give day care a break from her" Evan said rubbing a hand over his face.

"Aren't you really close to finishing the repairs?" Alicia asked.

"I've been working pretty hard so I think I could swing a day off" Evan said though he really wanted it finished so he wouldn't have to deal with Lucas.

"Look Kate is off duty and I'm at home we can take her for a couple of days a week. That way she isn't constantly in the naughty corner as I really don't think it's working for her" Alicia told him.

"I know, I find 1-2-3 magic works… well it worked with Sean and I'm still installing it into her"

"Installing" Alicia said

"Yeah I can't think of a better way of saying it. By the way is it ok if the kids stay over. I don't want to disturb them"

"Sure, you don't need to ask you and the kids are always welcome" Alicia asssured him.


	48. Chapter 48

A few moments ago, Malcolm knelt down beside Kate's form near her head brushed the loose hair from her face. He moved his hand down the side of her face to her back and softly massaged his hand up and down her spine.

"Kate" he murmured in her ear waking her up slowly as she made a noise acknowledging she heard him. "Time to get up so we can go home" he told her gently.

"Mhmm I just have to put my feet on" Kate murmured but she didn't make any signs of moving which made Malcolm smile as he wondered if she was really awake or not.

"Kate, your feet are attached to you don't you mean you need your boots?" he asked her.

"Mhmm that's what I said" She said as she rolled onto her side and rubbed her face to try and wake up.

"Your boots are by the door" he told her as he moved to get up but Kate caught the front of his shirt and pulled him back down so quick he nearly would have lost his balance if he hadn't braced his hands on the sides of the lounge framing her.

"Hey" she said in a sleepy yet husky voice. She pulled him down and captured his lips with hers in a passionate and slow kiss for a few moments before releasing him.

"Hey, don't go back to sleep" he told with an amused smile as he leaned over her. She looked like she was about to fall asleep again as she looked up at him with a sleepy expression.

"Why not?" she asked as she was ready to drift back to sleep.

"Because you'll be far more comfortable in our bed than here, now come on" he said as he offered his hands to her. Kate made a face as she rolled onto her back and took his hands knowing he was right.

"You're a cruel man pulling a sleepy pregnant woman out of bed" Kate told him.

"Yes I'm right up there with all the other evil dictators from history" Malcolm drawled sarcastically as he pulled her up off the lounge to her feet. Kate gave a groan as she leaned against him and closed her eyes ready to go back to sleep. Malcolm wrapped his arms around her and held her close as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Are you trying to sleep standing up?" he whispered to her as she started leaning heavily on him.

"I'm trying to" Kate murmured into his shirt. Malcolm chuckled as he moved her away from the lounge and towards the dining table.

* * *

"By the way where is Taylor? Asleep?" Evan asked as he looked over his shoulder to Malcolm practically carrying Kate over to the table and sitting her down beside Evan.

"Someone still is" Alicia mused as she placed a hot cup of coffee in front of Evan before she sat down opposite him with her own coffee. "Taylor's awake he's just dealing with the twins" Alicia said as she watched Kate reached for Evan's coffee but only to have him slap her hand away. She made a face of displeasure that was rather reminiscent of Olivia's when she didn't get her way.

"No, mine" Evan told her as he moved the coffee away from her, Kate turned to Malcolm who brought her boots over to her and she took them from him and haphazardly pulled them on while Malcolm held her by the shoulders to stop her from falling backwards off the chair.

"So how did you guys fair tonight?" Alicia asked as she chuckled at Kate's less than conscious state.

"Good, I'll have the terminus repaired by the end of the week thanks to Malcolm's help" Evan replied.

"What does that mean for overall project?" Taylor asked as he finally joined them, he gave a nod to Malcolm and Evan acknowledging their presence before he moved into the kitchen to pour himself a coffee.

"Well Lucas and I will have to rewrite the operating systems and update the software to make it do what we want it to so we are ahead of schedule." Evan said carefully as he looked to Kate, she didn't seem to be paying attention as Malcolm took a seat at the table and was currently leaning on him with her eyes closed.

"So as long as Lucas stays focussed we should be able to finish the project sooner than anticipated" Malcolm said as he'd rather have the impromptu meeting now than rehash the same information with Taylor tomorrow.

"Yeah" Evan said with a weary sigh. Taylor eyed Evan as he must have felt the undercurrent in Evan's demeanour.

"Good, Malcolm why don't I help you with Kate and do a once over of the house. Just for Kate's peace of mind" Taylor offered.

"I'm sure we'll be fine" Malcolm said as he didn't feel it was necessary. They had the security systems and the alarms hadn't been tripped except for Kate and her destroying a vase with a pistol the one time.

"Then for my peace of mind" Taylor said.

"Just let him do it" Evan said to Malcolm.

"Ok" Malcolm said as he was in no mood to argue. He also knew that Taylor was stubborn he wouldn't give up until he got his way.

"Good give me 5 to get changed and put my boots on" Taylor said as he got up from the table.

* * *

10 minutes later after Malcolm had nudged Kate and woke her up. They had said their goodbyes to Alicia and Evan and they left the house with Taylor at their side to where they were now at Kate and Malcolm's door step.

"You know this isn't necessary" Malcolm said as he disarmed the alarms and the lock on the door. Taylor knew all the codes but knew better to not step on Malcolm's toes. It was his house not Taylor's, he didn't want to make it seem like he was belittling Malcolm's ability to protect Kate more than he had for one evening.

"Humour me Malcolm" Taylor said as Malcolm opened the front door for him. Taylor who was dressed in his usual garb of black BDU pants and t-shirt unclipped the strap on his shoulder holster and walked into the house one hand on his weapon just in case.

He walked into the house, turning on lights and checking the rooms before he was satisfied everything was in order, he clipped the strap over the butt of his gun and went back outside.

"It's secure" Taylor informed them. Kate murmured a thanks before she and Malcolm went inside and Taylor waited until he heard the door lock before he walked back to his house.

* * *

In the early hours of the morning, Caetano stood at the back window of Deputy Wallace nee Renshaw with small spray canister filled with blood. She didn't know what was more exciting the planning and the preparation to this moment or the thrill of getting this far without being caught. She looked to her partner in crime the man who convinced her go through with his bloodthirsty plan in the first place. He watched her work with his arms folded keeping an eye out for soldiers as they would be coming soon.

"We shouldn't be here, the others won't be happy" She told him in a low voice as she finished her work on the back windows of the house.

"They just don't understand and isn't this fun?" he asked her as he moved off the back veranda and looked around the ground. She stepped back to admire her work but remembered to keep her head low as she knew they would have cameras. She had seen them being installed, she turned to the man.

"What are you doing?" she hissed at him.

"The rock, throw it" he told her as he pointed to one on the ground. Caetano bit her bottom lip as she picked up the rock and looked back to the window. "Throw it, the whole point of this exercise is to put fear in her" he whispered in her ear.

* * *

Kate and Malcolm woke up in a panicked start as the sound of glass shattering and a loud thud followed sounded in the living area. Whatever it was that smashed the window triggered the alarms and the lights in the house turnd on brightly and alarms blared loudly. The noise and the lighting was near incapacitating to Kate as she covered her ears and squinted through the brightness for her attacker but before she could put two words together in her head Malcolm wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her off the bed to the floor of his side that was furthest from the door.

Kate watched in complete surprise as Malcolm signalled for her to stay low and pulled a gun from his bedside dresser drawer and watched the bedroom door. She wondered in what reality she had woken up in as she never thought she'd see the day when Malcolm held a gun and looked like he knew what he was doing with said gun. Let alone use military hand signals and tell her how to act in the situation.

* * *

Alicia and Taylor woke up at the sound of the alarms blaring from Malcolm and Kate's house, they immediately got out of bed out of habit when Alicia realised she wouldn't be following Taylor she still got changed with him just in case.

"Where do you think you're going?" Taylor asked Alicia after he called the command centre and pulled on his BDU pants and t-shirt.

"To check on the kids. What's happening?" Alicia asked him as he shrugged into his holster and headed for the front door.

"Surveillance picked up on our killer trying to enter the premises but the Alarm spooked her. I'm going over to disarm the alarm system and check on Malcolm and Kate, make sure they are ok" Taylor told her as he quickly pulled on his boots.

"Ok, be careful" Alicia said to him, he gave a quirk of the lips and was tempted to kiss her but the sound of the twins rearing up at the noise stopped him as the alarm could only be overrided on the premise.

"I'll be right back. Keep this door locked" he told her before he left the house.

* * *

"It's just scare tactics. If she's in here she would have made a move!" Kate shouted over the Alarm to Malcolm as it had been at least two minutes and no signs of an intruder. The alarm was making it hard for her to think to the point she wanted to kill someone to make the noise stop. She couldn't understand how Malcolm was able to calmly keep an eye on the door with the gun ready at his side barrel pointing at the ground.

"If it is Taylor or Guzman will be here in a moment-" he stopped shouting for a moment as the alarm silenced itself and continued at a lower level "To turn off the Alarm" Malcolm finished with a thankful sigh.

"Malcolm? Kate?" Taylor called out.

"In here, we are ok" Malcolm called out.

"Good, stay in there for the moment my soldiers are securing the exterior." Taylor told them through the door.

"Talk for yourself I have a massive headache" Kate grumbled as they got to their feet. She grabbed the gun from Malcolm's hand "And when the hell did you get this and learn how to use it?" Kate asked him as she disarmed the pistol and held it up to him like a mother would ask a child where they found something they shouldn't have in the first place.

"Commander Taylor offered it to me" Malcolm said trying to not look amused as he picked up a discarded T-shirt and pulled it on figuring Taylor wouldn't appreciate him being half naked in his pyjama pants like Kate did. He looked at Kate in his pyjama shirt looking bedraggled and annoyed thinking it was incredibly sexy and slightly scary at the same time.

"And you didn't think to tell me this why?" Kate asked him.

"Because then I would appear as a hypocrite?" he offered truthfully as he was a hypocrite. He espoused his dislike for guns but he had one in his possession and was more than willing to use it. Though it had taken a lot of convincing to make it happen.

"Damn right you do-" Kate stopped as the door to the bedroom opened and Taylor came in with his hands in surrender. "Hilarious, you gave him a gun and didn't tell me" Kate said to Taylor.

"Yes, you needed more than one gun in the house and he needed to know how to use one. Can we get back to the more pertinent matter at hand?" Taylor asked Kate as he was going to indulge her in her vitirol over Malcolm having a gun especially when Malcolm was going to give it back the second the killer was caught.

"Sure, tell me is there a dead body or a message out on the front verandah?" Kate asked folding her arms across her chest.

"No bodies but a message, I don't think you should see it in your current state until you've calmed down" Taylor told her a if she were a misbehaving child and not an adult.

"I'm calm as I'm going to get until I have some painkillers and good night's sleep" Kate said with a sigh as the fight left her system. Against his better judgement Taylor nodded and motion they follow him.

Kate looked around the living room and found everything was intact bar the shattered glass on the floor and a garden rock on the floor. It wasn't until she looked to the broken window did she see the whole picture as there were soldiers standing outside looking in at a message written in blood across the back windows. She read the message and turned her back to the window. She closed her eyes pinching the bridge of her nose as she cursed under her breath.

"I'm going to post guards on your house from now on" Taylor told them as he watched their reactions. Kate had turned her back to the window while Malcolm stared at it with a closed expression of concern and displeasure.

"What did the surveillance catch?" Kate asked in a calm voice even though she really felt exhausted and completely burned out. Her head with was throbbing from the alarms and she just wanted to go back to sleep and not deal with it.

"No facial recognition due to her wearing a hood and facing away from the camera. She moved into the back area and then threw the rock with set off the internal motion detectors." Taylor explained as Guzman had given him the run down on his way to the house. He had wished they put motion detectors on the exterior of the house but then every stray child or animal would be setting it off. So they just kept the circuit feed running 24/7. It played on its own screen but with 30 screens running at once it was easy to miss something happening when one wasn't looking closely enough.

"What do we do now?" Malcolm asked Taylor.

"I need to lie down" Kate said before Taylor could answer Malcolm's question. Both men exchanged looks as Kate didn't even wait for a response and went back into the bedroom drawing the door closed. A clear sign she was removing herself from the process entirely.

"We'll clean up the broken glass, in the morning I'll get you to run tests on the blood and see if it's human or not. If it is human run a DNA panel and see if it matches with anyone in the colony. I will make sure the window is replaced in the morning" Taylor said, Malcolm gave a nod of acknowledgement.

* * *

Kate laid on her side wide awake waiting for Malcolm. She felt horrible for leaving the men to clean up the mess but she couldn't control her emotions as she knew if she stayed out there she would have completely lost her cool. She just didn't understand where the strong confident person she was had gone to. She tried to reason if she was being followed by a killer in a non pregnant state she'd set up some kind of trap with a low survival rate but high reward of her taking the killer out and it being finished. Sadly she couldn't think of any safer low risk high reward options as the murderer's behaviour was erratic. Well that and she was just completely fried from the hormones and trying to wrap her head around the concept that she was married and pregnant two things she had never imagined herself being.

Now she had the proverbial dream her life and that dream were being threatened and she just didn't know what to do. Taking a back seat and allowing others to do protect her was a new concept for her.

She heard Taylor talk to Malcolm in a low voice and then the sound of the front door closing. A moment later the bedroom door slid open and then closed. She felt the bed dip as he sat down on the bed and a glass of water appeared in front of her face.

"I brought you some painkillers" Malcolm told her as she sat up and turned to face him. Taking the glass of water and the tablets he offered, she downed the tablets with half of the water before placing the glass on the bedside table.

"Thank you" Kate told him.

"You ok?" he asked her as he moved to make himself comfortable on the bed with his back against the wall and laid his legs out straight on the bed as he watched her closely.

"I will be" Kate said with a tired sigh.

"You changing sides of the bed on me?" he asked with a smile trying to lighten the mood. Kate had been lying on his side of the bed not that it mattered as she always ended up on his side lying on top of him. Something in the start of them sharing a bed he had found rather startling and amusing to wake up with her half on top of him or her body wrapped around his like she were some kind of human octopus.

"I'm sorry I left you to clean up the mess out there. I just can't keep my head on straight lately" Kate told him as she straddled him and dropped her head on his shoulder with her arms low around his torso. He ran his hands up her back slowly in a comforting manner as he drew her in closer.

"It will be alright" he reassured her as he placed a kiss on the side of her neck.

"You married a mental case" She grumbled into his shoulder.

"You married an amnesiac" He countered as he continued to massage her back.

"Who apparently knows how use a gun. Is this where you've been going and doing in the mornings?" Kate asked lifting her head and looking at him questioningly.

"Yes and I still don't like guns" Malcolm told her firmly so she knew his stance on the subject.

"Shame" Kate said with a slight pout.

"Why?"

"You were kinda hot with a gun"

"Only kind of?"

"Yeah, you hunched over a lab table talking in Latin is heaps sexy" She told him with a teasing smile.

"Now you're mocking me" he said calling her on it as he knew there was nothing sexy about him hunched over a lab table.

"Just a tiny bit" Kate told him with a smile before she kissed him.

"Ok if you are mocking me then I think we should go back to sleep" he told her before she could kiss him again.

"Will you hold me?" She asked him but it wasn't in a mocking manner as she looked at him in a way that made her seem incredibly fragile.

"When am I ever not holding you in this bed?" He asked her his words made her smile.

"I love you" Kate told him, he smiled at her words and captured her lips in a searing kiss.

* * *

"Is everything ok?" Alicia asked when Taylor came back into the house half an hour later, she had been going out of her mind imagining the worst had happened to Kate and Malcolm and nearly went across to their house to see what was going on but the twins had kicked up a fuss and Sean had woken up so by the time she had them all settled and asleep again she knew there was no way she could leave the house. She was actually amazed Olivia hadn't woken up with all the racket but she had yet to make a peep. When Alicia checked on her the little girl had been out like a light and even snoring the cutest of snores.

"They are fine, they just got a visit with a smashed window and message written in blood on the back windows" Taylor informed her.

"What did it say?"

"You will die next" Taylor said repeating the message, Alicia didn't look impressed.

"Well at least it's direct, did they give a day or time?" Alicia asked dryly as she felt frustrated at not being able to help out.

"No" Taylor said trying to stifle a smile as he was amused at his wife's question. "I posted guards at the house to stop any further meetings and in the morning Jim and I will go over the footage" Taylor said as he kicked off his boots.

"How did Kate react?" Alicia asked.

"Not well. I wish I knew where her head was at. She's not one to just turn tail and go to bed" Taylor said with a shrug though he hadn't been entirely impressed with her walking away but on the other hand it was better than her having a complete meltdown or worse.

"That's what she did?" Alicia asked in disbelief.

"Yes" Taylor replied.

"Well you told her to leave it to you and Jim." Alicia said with a dismissive shrug as she didn't want to make a big deal out of it.

"She's burned out" Taylor stated before he gave a sigh. "I really don't want to talk about this anymore. I just want to go to bed and sleep for another 5 hours before I go to work" he added as he moved to Alicia as wrapped his arms around her.

* * *

"You know it looks like she's talking to someone" Jim said as he and Taylor watched the footage of the woman early the next morning in the command centre. They were hoping to spy a reflective surface they could use to grab an image of the killer's face. Something, anything at all to work with than what they did have which was pretty much nothing.

"But there are no comm. frequencies recorded in that area except for the soldiers and we have the recordings"

"Talking to herself maybe?"

"Oh so now she's psychotic, that's real comforting"

"I don't know it's a thought"

"All the colonists have three mandatory psychological evaluations and a full mental and physical work up before they are put on a pilgrimage" Taylor told him.

"Really? You want to argue that every person who has come through is perfectly healthy and mentally stable?" Jim asked him folding his arms as he could name a lot of colonist who weren't right in the head or in prime physical condition.

"No, I'm not arguing but I can say for a fact that if a prospective colonist showed signs or a family history of schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder or some psychological issue that made them talk to themselves or hallucinations. It would have been picked up" Taylor told him.

"Fair point. What do you want to do?"

"Well Malcolm is going to run tests on the blood see where it came from and go from there" Taylor said.

"Ok, by the way how is Kate going with all this?"

"She's fried, I don't think she'll be any use to us at the moment" Taylor told Jim.

"That's a bit harsh after everything she has done for us" Jim said while he agreed Kate was burnt out he would never say out loud.

"The truth always is" Taylor remarked.

* * *

Kate sat at the dining table looking at the message on the window written in blood hating the fact she couldn't wash it off until Jim came and had a look and did his 'cop' thing. She wished he would hurry up as she couldn't stand the message as it mocked her like she hadn't heard those words before. She had been in mid thought of her mental rant about how she had been sold that Terra Nova was the 'promised land' when a knock at the door caught her attention.

She got up from the table and opened the door to a somewhat sheerful Carter and the always calm and reserved Daniel the local Glass expertise of Terra Nova.

"Morning Sunshine, heard someone broke a window last night. You get slammed with another fine?" Carter asked making a dig at the latest gossip about her shooting a bug and being fined for discharing her weapon.

"No, but I got a lovely message written in blood" Kate offered sarcastically as she opened the door and welcomed them in. Carter's smile dropped somewhat and he cursed as he saw the message, he and Daniel exchanged looks before Carter spoke up.

"You going to keep the message as a souvenir or you want it gone?" he asked as he and Daniel walked into the house.

"The Sheriff has to see it first before I can wash it off" Kate said as Daniel and Carter moved to the hole where the broken window was and inspected it.

"Fair enough, well I'll be able to replace the window in an hour now that I know which part I'm replacing" Daniel said as looked back to Kate who gave a nod of acknowledgment.

"That would be greatly appreciated" Kate said to them.

"No problems, Carter let's make tracks. We'll be back in 15 with the glass" Daniel told her as he smacked Carter in the arm motioning for them to go.

* * *

"Mira, what's going on?" Carter asked as he and Daniel had come back to the workshop to pick up their supplies to head back to Kate's house.

"Annika is missing" Mira said cutting to the chase as she was never one for small talk.

"I think she and Curran were hooked up last night you talk to him?" Carter asked it earned him the 'do I look stupid of course I did' look.

"He was on duty last night" Mira replied as she watched Carter and Daniel pack equipment into their designated rover.

"Ok well what about the group she was designated with?" Carter asked he ignored the look she gave him and wondered why the woman didn't just slap him upside the head as she looked ready to hit him.

"She left a message on the plex about 2:30 pm yesterday that she was off with Curran for the night and didn't bother to run it up. We need to find her" Mira said simply.

"I'm working and anyway I have a feeling I know where some of her is" Carter said grimacing.

"Some?" Mira stated as she wanted him to clarify what he meant by 'some'.

"Kate's back window has a lovely message about her being the next one to die written in blood and it ain't dino blood" Carter said as he helped Daniel pick up the slab of glass they needed. Mira closed her eyes and took a moment before opening them and looking at him.

"When did this happen?" Mira asked.

"Don't know, didn't ask" Carter said.

"Find out and pass the word around I want everyone at my house at 6pm. Full attendance, no excuses" Mira told him and Daniel who both nodded. Even though they had all acclimated back to being in the colony they still kept their hierarchy that had when they were Sixers and in that hierarchy Mira was at the top.

* * *

TBC~ Cya all soon with more!


	49. Chapter 49

_A/N: Many Apologies for the late update..life got in the way :-P.. Thank you for the reviews and support! Please Enjoy!_

* * *

"We said two weeks you barely lasted one and what did you accomplish by it? The deputy is under stronger security measures than before. How do you plan on her executing her and slipping away with ease now her residence is under lock down?" The soldier asked Caetano and the man who got them into this mess.

"We were wasting time lying low and the guards can be easy taken care of with this" he said as he motioned to Caetano who placed a sonic pistol on the table. The meek woman at the table looked at the gun her eyes went wide.

"Where did you get that?" she asked.

"Boylan of course, on a low setting it is enough to incapacitate the guards, anyone who gets in the way. It will also help with the 'Dr Wallace' issue since you all outvoted me on his punishment and said he couldn't be harmed" he said rolling his eyes. Caetano had sweet talked Boylan into giving her the weapon for a price of course but she said it was for her safety as she had been married to a sixer and felt the killer would be after her.

"The colony requires his knowledge and expertise thus he has been given immunity" The older woman said haughtily as she despised guns and the man who placed it on the table.

"So I've adapted the plan. We knock him and the guards out and then the woman so I can finish her off" he said as he brandished his knife again and started playing with it.

"No, we will cease all trials and executions until further notice. We will study her properly and learn her weaknesses and the security layout and nut out a proper plan" The soldier said.

"Perhaps we should just not kil- execute her. No one seems to mind that we are getting rid of the Sixers but look at the protection Taylor has provided for this one woman" The meek woman said.

"No, she is breeding. It's best to kill her before that filth is salvageable" The older woman said.

"A baby is not filth" The meek woman said.

"Yet it is a complication" The soldier conceded.

"It is an advantage she's more vulnerable in her current state which means we should use it to our advantage" the man with the knife said.

"What are your thoughts Caetano?" the soldier asked Caetano who had been quiet for most of the conversation.

* * *

"Evan" Taylor said surprised to see Alicia's brother standing at his front door in the morning of a work day.

"Taylor, I was hoping Alicia would be home" Evan said as he saw Taylor was holding Ava with one arm and holding a bottle milk for Ava who made noises of protest. Taylor turned and used his back to prop the door as he held the bottle of milk so Ava could drink. The baby girl started guzzling the bottle of milk like a champion. Something about Taylor in that moment appeared soft and paternal in comparison to his usual hard ass military image.

"Kate has taken her to the gym, I'm looking after the twins. If you want I can call her back" Taylor said to Evan as he noticed that he was disappointed that Alicia wasn't here.

"No, it's ok I wanted to talk with you next. If you have the time" Evan said.

"Of course. Come in, can I offer you something to drink?" Taylor asked as Evan walked into the house.

"Coffee would be great but I can get it, why don't you sit down and finish up with Ava. Do you want one too?" Evan asked, Taylor gave a nod and moved to the dining table taking his usual seat at the head of the table.

"Sure" Taylor said grateful to not have to juggle Ava and coffee pot.

"Your girls are growing fast" Evan remarked.

"Yes, too quickly in my opinion. Alicia finds it oddly amusing that the girls have different colour hair and eyes though" Taylor said with a smile as it was true, Ava had dark brown hair and blue eyes while Ella had reddish brown hair and brown eyes but they both had the same skin tone and still the same facial features but then they were still babies they had a lot more growing and changing to go. Taylor placed the empty bottle of milk on the table and adjusted Ava so she was lying her head on his shoulder and rubbed her back to gently to burp her.

"But you're not here to talk about the kids. So out with it Evan, what did you want to talk about?" Taylor asked Evan.

"It's a tall order but I was hoping you and Alicia might be able to look after Sean and Olivia a couple a nights a week so I can finish the repairs on the terminus sooner rather than later" Evan said as he poured out two cups of coffee and brought them to the table.

"Why the rush with the repairs? You told me it would take years for the future rebuild and restart the program" Taylor said before taking a swig of his coffee. Evan sat down at the table to Taylor's left and gave a reluctant sigh.

"Your son is a piece of work and I really want to cut down my visiting hours by half if not more. That's my reason for the rush" Evan said not bothering to mince his words or be polite.

"I can understand that" Taylor said as he had watched and listened to the recordings of Evan's visits. He was amazed Evan hadn't asked this sooner.

"You can?" Evan asked and then he gave a nod as he realised Taylor would have been watching the circuit feed. "You know everything he has said to me. watching my meetings?" Evan asked shaking his head as he realised that Taylor couldn't keep his nose out of anything.

"It's my job and I wanted to be prepared for this eventuality where you came to either myself or Alicia" Taylor said.

"Of course." Evan drawled somewhat darkly as he hated how intrusive Taylor's 'protective' measures felt.

"Look, I'm not proud of my son. He is not the man I wanted him to be and it is in part my fault. I'm not going to get into the details as it is none of your business but I will say I did warn you" Taylor told Evan.

"Yeah when you said mind games and shock tactics I didn't think I'd be signing up to hear about everything he did to Kate or what that Ellyas guy did to him and how this makes his personal views about the human psyche" Evan said.

"Or about your sister and her past with Ellyas" Taylor added as Lucas talked a lot about Ellyas and what the man had told Lucas about Alicia. Somehow his son had this way of wrapping Kate into the patterns of the conversation about how Ellyas and Kate were one of the same and he was the naieve victim.

"That too but I'd rather talk about that with Alicia not you. No offence" Evan said as he knew how much Taylor didn't like to be kept out of things in regards to his sister.

"Your sister doesn't talk about it" Taylor said.

"You mean you don't want her to talk about it" Evan countered.

"No, your sister doesn't talk about with anyone. Something she has in common with Kate. It wasn't an easy time for your sister she wrote a report on the events and attended psych review but that's it. As fair as she's concerned it's in the past and doesn't wish to discuss it. So I honour her wishes" Taylor told Evan as he knew Alicia didn't like talking about that time in her life and he didn't force her. She eventually opened up on her own but had said she never wanted to talk about it again. He knew she wouldn't talk about it with Evan so felt it better to stretch the truth so Evan felt like it wasn't just him out in the cold.

"But-" Evan started except Taylor cut him off.

"You ever wonder why Alicia and Kate are incredibly close to the point they are like sisters?" Taylor asked Evan.

"Because they are both soldiers who share similiar interests?" Evan offered with a shrug.

"That's part of it. The other part is that they understand one another on a level you or I can't even begin to imagine. I look at Kate sometimes and I see the Alicia I met for the first time all those years ago. The only difference was that I stepped in as favour to a friend to help straighten your sister's head back out and salvage her military career. I made her into the exceptional soldier she was and she turned into the person she wanted to be."

"But Kate?" Evan asked, it was something that had him curious as he preferred not to think of Kate's past life and the person she had to be to be able to do the things Lucas told him.

"Kate is different" Taylor told Evan.

"Yeah Lucas told me that she was a cold blooded and calculating killer just like Ellyas. That what we see and know of her is just a façade-"

"It's not an act. She is the woman you know and yes she can be calculating and cold when she has to be but then you can say that of Alicia, myself or any other person who has been trained to do so. Don't go trying to make something black or white when it's clearly grey" Taylor said as shifted Ava into a more comfortable position in his arms and looked at Evan sternly as he hated philosophical discussions and discussions about moral responsibilty and ethics.

"I wasn't-"

"Yes you were. Evan you've always been a pacifist and you're entitled to your beliefs but don't project your beliefs of what is right and wrong on people like Kate and myself. We are the necessary 'evil' that allows you to maintain your moral high ground. Kate brought you and your kids here. You lived with her for months, she helps take care of your kids. She saved Alicia's life and countless others by shouldering responsibilities that shouldn't have been hers to begin with. So just take a moment to think about that then tell me what Lucas told you about her and she did over 100 years in our past has context on who she is now? Think about that and imagine if Alicia had the same history as Kate, would you judge Alicia so harshly?" Taylor asked Evan.

Evan opened his mouth to speak but stopped as he heard Alicia and Kate chatting outside the house. A second later the door opened women walked in and stopped in their tracks as they sensed the tension in the room.

"Oh hello guys, are we disturbing you?" Kate asked as looked to Alicia and then at the men.

"No, we're good. I have to head back to work anyway" Evan said as he downed some of his coffee forgetting it was incredibly hot he made a face as the liquid scorched down his throat.

"Oh ok, is everything Alright?" Alicia asked as her brother was acting incredibly awkward. She dropped her gym bag and moved to the dining table with Kate and took a seat next to Taylor opposite her brother.

"Yeah, everything is fine. I wanted to put in some overtime and was asking Taylor if you and he would mind looking after the kids for me. Only two or three nights a week" Evan said as he watched Kate take a seat next to him. He felt incredibly awkward for talking about her a few moments ago and thinking about what Lucas had told him about her.

"I said it would be fine" Taylor answered before Alicia could assure her brother.

"Of course and if they become too much we'll just bounce them over to Kate and Malcolm" Alicia joked. Kate smiled at the comment and shook her head at Alicia.

"We'll take the twins and you can take Evan's kids. Malcolm needs more baby training not ankle biter training" Kate said with a smile.

"Only Malcolm?" Alicia asked sceptically as she felt Kate needed a good dose of a reality check that she was going to have her own baby in a few months. Sure she no longer referred to the baby as a 'parasite' but she wasn't exactly registering she was pregnant either. It was more like she was going through the motions.

"I'm a natural remember? It comes from years of being single and having people around married with babies. So how was everyone else's morning?" Kate asked in a jovial manner.

"I think I might be able to finish the repairs on the terminus sooner if I work longer hours and possibly steal your husband for a few late nights" Evan said.

"It's up to Malcolm I'm not his keeper but what's with the rush?" Kate asked him.

"I would sleep better at night knowing that fracture is secure and closed. I should be off" Evan answered as he finished his cup of coffee.

"Ok-" Taylor stopped as his comm. beeped on the table. He picked it up and pressed the answer button. "Taylor here, go ahead" he said.

_"It's Malcolm I have those results you wanted" _Malcolm's voice came over the comm. line.

"Ok, be at the command centre in ten" Taylor said he pocketed his comm. and looked to Alicia who already had her hands out ready to take Ava.

"You'll be home for dinner?" Alicia asked as he handed a sleeping Ava over to her and placed the towel he had on his shoulder over hers.

"Yes" he said before giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "Kate, I'll see you later" he said as he got up from his chair and left the house with evan who said his farewells.

* * *

"Annika Dresner" Malcolm said as he answered Taylor's question. Malcolm had called Jim and Taylor to the main laboratory to give them the results of the blood tests.

"Another sixer dead. I'll inform Mira" Jim said as he was about to turn on his feet but stopped when Malcolm held up his hands in a 'stop' motion before lowering them and retaking his seat at the lab table they were standing by.

"Mira already knows" Malcolm said, the two men looked at him. "She came by earlier and told me that the woman was missing and heard about the incident at my house felt they were connected. Apparently she was right" Malcolm said in a matter of factorial manner, he was empathetic to Mira's loss but he was glad the blood had been washed off his windows and the broken window replaced as he found it unsettling having the message written on the back windows of his house.

"There has to some way of catching this woman besides setting up a trap that could endanger Kate" Taylor said voicing his frustrations as he wanted the killer caught. Jim's face lit up like he was having an epiphany.

"Or that's exactly what we do. We should get Kate here I have an idea" Jim said to them. Malcolm looked confused while Taylor was curious.

* * *

"I'm sorry but did you become unbalanced during our time apart? Cause that is the most ridiculous hair brain scheme I've ever heard" Kate told Jim immediately after he told her his idea and asked her opinion. Taylor had called her to the Command centre where Jim informed her his hair brain idea of plan. Well he thought it was genius but Kate thought it was incredibly dangerous and stupid she wasn't going to hide her opinion either.

"No I'm being serious" Jim said looking slightly put out by Kate's lack of enthusiasm but then she wasn't alone as Malcolm looked at him like he had grown a second head and that head was winking and blowing kisses at him.

"Let me get this straight, you want to make it easier for this woman whoever she is to get into my house and murder me?" Kate asked him in a sarcastic manner as Jim had suggested that Taylor's men create a gap in the shift change over and make the soldiers less than diligent in their duties while Malcolm worked late at night leaving little windows of opportunity for the killer to come into her home and attack Kate while she was alone and supposedly 'unarmed'.

"That's oversimplifying it but yes. Though it will be a trap to catch her not kill her or have her kill you" Jim told her.

"Oh ok and who or what is going to trap her? Because I will put the woman down before she has a chance at me" Kate told him darkly.

"Taylor and his soldiers across the road will trap her after you press a panic button and take cover." Jim answered

"That's the plan? What if I'm a sleep and she comes in?" Kate asked.

"You're really going to sleep?" Jim asked her.

"I'll do my best not to but it's not like I have full control of my body anymore" Kate told him as she folded her arms across her chest.

"We'll take extra precautions and it's just that we need for it to appear as though you're an easy target" Jim said, Kate didn't want to point out how so many things could wrong with his plan like how all the killer had to do was shoot her in the head or a well placed shot to the torso and she'd be dead within the time Taylor and his soldiers took to get to her house. Or that she might accidentally press the panic button while in flagrante with Malcolm and give a nice show to an unwanted audience.

"How stupid-" Kate stopped for a moment to calm herself and then reworded her words "How long do you think it will take for this woman to fall for this plan?" Kate asked Jim.

"I don't know but it's worth a try at least we'll have the house tricked out with more guns to make you comfortable and like I said we are only giving the woman an opening to get into your house during the shift changes. It might not even work and she may not appear at all" Jim said.

"I don't know the message was pretty clear written in capital letters and with human blood" Kate drawled sarcastically as she moved to the guest chair at Taylor's desk and down. She ran her hands over her face.

"It's risky but I think it's worth a try" Jim said Kate leaned back in the chair and looked to Taylor.

"Taylor, what do you think?" Kate asked as Taylor had been quiet through the meeting.

"I think it's worth a try but if you and Malcolm aren't comfortable with it then we won't do it." Taylor said. Kate looked to Malcolm who ran a hand over his mouth showing no signs of an opinion as he looked back at her.

"It's your decision" he told Kate.

"No it's our decision. It's our home, and you could end up as collateral damage in this. It wouldn't be the first time" Kate said to him.

"As far as I understand it I'll be 'working late' to make you vulnerable to attack. So I won't be at the house for majority of this plan" Malcolm remarked distastefully as he didn't like the plan at all. He picked up the second chair near Kate's and placed it facing her and took a seat infront of her. He took her hands in his and looked at them for a moment before looking at her. "I don't like the plan, it's a hatchet job. Dangerous with too many holes in it"

"Thanks Malcolm" Jim said dryly.

"But if it works this could be over within a week or two not months of looking over our shoulders and worrying but the risk of all this going south weighs on you as you're the target. If you don't want this then we won't do this. Anyway I'd prefer we didn't as I don't like working late" he said to her making her smile.

* * *

"It's official I'm pregnant" Kate said to Malcolm as she heard him coming back to the bedroom from the bathroom. She looked down marvelling that somehow in the space of two weeks her bloated stomach had turned into a pregnant bump. The bump had truly snuck up on her as she found that she couldn't wear many of her clothes as she was trying to downplay her pregnancy. So the layered tunic top and skinny jeans she had been planning to wear were out as her pants wouldn't do up and the tunic didn't really flatter her now rounded belly.

"It's been official for quite awhile say about 18 weeks and 5 days but really who's counting?" Malcolm asked amused as he came into the bedroom already dressed in his work clothes. He only had to put on his boots and he'd be out the door instead he leaned against the door frame and looked at Kate who was vainly trying to do up her jeans. He looked as exhausted as she did as they ran on less than 6 hours sleep a night for the past two weeks.

"Well apparently you are" Kate grumbled as she gave up and pulled off her jeans before folding them up and putting them back in the drawer. She paused for a moment as the baby moved inside her. It was a disconcerting feeling but in some ways comforting as it reaffirmed how real the baby was and her life.

She had felt the baby move before just bubbles every now and then for the last couple of weeks but she always assumed she was hungry or ate something that didn't entirely agree with her. Apparently it wasn't disagreeable stomach but an overactive baby growing inside her as the bubbles turned into a rolling movement which was incredibly nauseating.

"Are you feeling ok?" Malcolm asked as he moved to Kate's side and pressed a hand to her forehead to feel her temperature as she had paled slightly.

"I feel like I'm on a never ending Dodonpa roller coaster ride. How can two relatively calm people make such a hyperactive baby. It's your fault" Kate grumbled.

"My fault?" Malcolm asked amused and confused to why she would feel that way.

"You knocked me up with your brand 11 secret herbs and spices. So you had him/her last clearly it's your fault now make it stop" Kate said with a sigh, Malcolm pursed his lips trying not to smile as she just gave him the opening he needed to do what he had been dying to do for weeks. He knelt down in front of her and lifted her tunic up and placed his hands gently on her stomach.

"Good Morning child of mine, I'd really appreciate it if you stop rolling around in there you're making your mother ill. You hear me in there?" Malcolm asked to her stomach in a stern and mocking tone. "Yeah, I'm talking to you in there. It's time to calm down, you can move all you want but take it easy" he said as he could no longer keep the smile off his face as he looked up at Kate.

"How do you know he or she can understand English?" Kate asked Malcolm with raised eyebrows.

"He or She is at least ¾ British. Anyway it's about hearing our voices and calming down, the words are superfluous. So is it working?" Malcolm asked Kate as he rubbed her stomach in a calming manner. She looked away as she gave a look like she was doing an internal check up before she gave a nod.

"It appears so. Thank you" Kate said as the baby settled within her and her nausea subsided.

"So you'll allow me to talk to our child more often?" Malcolm asked slightly excited and apprehensively as he had been withholding on his urge to talk to the baby because he wasn't sure how Kate would react.

"I wasn't stopping you before but no baby talk or goofy voices and getting gooey like it's a cute puppy dog in there" Kate told him. Malcolm smiled at her.

"We've seen the holographic scans and they don't lie. It's definitely human in there" He said before he placed a kiss on her protruding stomach and got back to his feet to stand in front of her. Kate closed the space between them and dropped her head onto his chest relaxing into his arms as he wrapped them around her.

"That's lucky. Now sadly I have to put my clothes on" Kate said as she reluctantly stepped out of his arms and pulled on a pair of yoga leggings with a roll down top and changed her tunic for a slightly fitted shirt dress. Malcolm moved in close behind her and placed his hands on top of hers before she had the chance to button the front up.

He moved his hands over hers and then under the shirt travelling down and over her swollen belly. She leaned her back against his chest. He placed a couple of soft kisses on the side of her neck making her sigh in pleasure.

"Mmm don't start something you aren't going to finish" Kate murmured to him as he traced his fingers over her swollen abdomen.

"I do have a meeting to get to" he said with a disappointed sigh as he'd rather spend the morning in bed with Kate. But he had called the meeting to talk about the lab time distribution and to listen to his staff on their progress, all before he settled in for another long day with Evan so they could finally finish repairs on the Terminus. It's what they had been doing for two weeks he and Evan were nearly finished with the repairs of the terminus since Malcolm had dedicated his days and most of his nights to helping Evan finish up the project since Jim's plans hinged on him being out of the way.

"You know if we weren't following Jim's plan I'd think you were having it off with Evan and making plans to run off with him" Kate said as she turned to face him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She wore a teasing smile as Malcolm laughed as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist again.

"Trust me I've no interest in men or any other women. I'm all yours" he said before they kissed briefly then Kate pulled back with a smile.

"Good I don't like sharing. Now I have to get ready. I'm supposed to go to the gym with Alicia in the next 20 minutes. So if you will release me?" Kate asked him, he looked to contemplate her request before acquiescing and releasing her.

"Sure though you will have to change your shirt" he told her not moving away. She looked up at him with a quizzical expression.

"Why?" she asked him, he moved his hands to the front of her shirt to show her that it wouldn't close due to the increase in her bust. "Seriously? I know I'm bigger but this is ridiculous when do I stop growing?" Kate asked in an exasperated tone as she dropped her head back for moment. Malcolm chuckled at her frustration and the fact she had tried to wear the same shirt last week and it didn't fit then but he didn't see the point in calling her on it.

"I don't know but I'm enjoying it, why don't you wear that navy dress you have" he offered with an amused smile on his lips.

"Of course you are enjoying yourself. What guy doesn't like a well rounded ass and a nice set of boobs" Kate said in a teasing tone to him as she turned around and stripped out of the shirt and tights before pulling out the dress he had suggested. It would definitely fit as it was a loose maxi tank swing dress.

"I feel this is one of those moments where there is no right answer" he said as he took the dress from her hands and tossed it over the reading chair they had the room. Kate raised an eyebrow at him "However there is a right course of action" he told her.

"Oh? And this course of action that you speak of can be completed in less than 3 minutes so you're not late for your staff meeting?" Kate asked him. He narrowed his eyes in thought at her.

"I'll just be late, perks of being the boss" he told her.


	50. Chapter 50

"Does Taylor have someone following me? I know they said there wouldn't be anyone watching me but I feel like someone is" Kate said Alicia early afternoon as they were slowly walking back from the Markets with twins in arms and Olivia in tow eating pineapple kebab. She knew it wasn't a part of Jim's plan but then the plan to have someone shadow her but then the plan wasn't exactly fool proof or fruitful as the Killer had decided to lay low for two weeks. It didn't help Kate's nerves or her general demeanour but Alicia felt that the gym and a midmorning nap at her house had made Kate easier to handle.

Alicia looked around just in case it wasn't Kate just being paranoid before looking back at her had to admit it was amusing to see Kate in a navy tank maxi dress with Ava in her arms and Olivia's pudgy little hand was pulling on the skirt of the dress as they walked as the little girl refused to hold Alicia or Kate's hand but was content to hold onto Kate's skirt. The way Olivia pulling on Kate's skirt making material pull over her middle showing off the pregnant bump just made Kate appear more maternal than Alicia had ever seen her.

It also made Alicia envious as Kate managed to make pregnancy look easy even with dark circles under eyes she could still pass for pregnant glamazon from an old magazine cover while Alicia remembered how she was nearly at 19 weeks. She had looked and felt like a haggard whale of a woman but now she wasn't pregnant and due to the last few weeks of hard workouts she was starting to feel like herself before the pregnancy.

She was still a long way off but her arms, legs and ass were definitely back. Her stomach would get back soon. Being back in shape did wonders for her self esteem. It also helped that the concessions she and Taylor were making with one another to keep their relationship and marriage working helped as well. She wasn't feeling like the complete failure she had a couple months ago and she felt she had more control over herself and her life.

"No, he would have told me and I don't see anyone following us" Alicia commented as they continued their slow walk. Alicia had been made privy to Jim's plan and thought he must have convinced Kate when she was completely desperate. Alicia knew she would have never agreed to it if she were in Kate's position.

"Ok, I'm just driving myself insane. I wish this bit-ison… Bison of a woman just finish her job so I can finally get a good solid eight hours of sleep and my husband home at a normal hour" Kate said even though she couldn't shake the feeling like she was being watched. She looked down at Olivia to check on the girl to make sure she was still there and behaving herself.

"It's been two weeks Kate, while I don't think you should relax too much I think you can lower your defence systems to DEFCON 3 or 4." Alicia offered as Kate was tense to the point it made Alicia feel like they were in the red zone of a war torn country not Terra Nova. Kate gave a sigh and looked to Alicia while she gave a half shrug to say 'I can't help myself'.

"I know stress and lack of sleep is bad for the baby. That's what Elisabeth told me at my impromptu check up this morning that Malcolm forced me to just because I got a little faint-"

"Yeah he told me you passed out during-" Alicia was about to say 'sex' but Kate cut her off.

"I still can't believe he told you and that you're still ribbing me about it now" Kate said shaking her head as Alicia had called Kate wondering where she was and Malcolm answered and in his concerned state blurted out why they were in the infirmary. So when Kate finally rocked up at Alicia's house the woman wore an evil grin as she made all the jokes in the book and more about Kate's fainting spell.

"Maybe your crass nature is finally rubbing off him" Alicia remarked.

"Mmm but still I already explained to him it's called 'La petit mort' perfectly normal and safe and happens to heaps of women and I was out for like one second. I know it was the first time it happened to me but I am technically sharing my body and having a very stressful time. He didn't have to act like I was dying" Kate said defensively.

"Well sometimes it can mean an underlying health issue but considering Elisabeth gave you a clean bill of health and kicked you out of the infirmary I'd say you're fine. Next time just remember to be a little more slow love making than rough riding" Alicia said mockingly before she burst out laughing as Kate flipped the one finger salute at her.

"So why are we babysitting the little monster again?" Kate asked changing the topic and gesturing to Olivia who they had picked up from day care.

"Evan is working late with Malcolm again. So he asked me and Taylor if we'd look after the kids. Sean is at a sleepover party tonight. So 'we' as in Taylor and I have the pleasure of looking after my favourite niece while you play cheese in the mousetrap"

"Cute, can't I stay at your place until Malcolm comes home? My nerves are so completely fried" Kate said with a pleading look at Alicia.

"I don't see a problem with that" Alicia said as they made to their section of housing they stopped short of going into the Taylor residence when Carter waved them over to Kate's place.

"Carter what is this?" Kate asked as Carter was standing beside a baby's crib filled to excess with baby items. Olivia released Kate's dress to inspect all the various toys and colourful objects poking out of the crib bars.

"It's baby shower gift for you and the kid from the Sixers. Well what's left of us anyway" Carter joked as he held his arms out to present the crib like it was a prize that Kate had won.

"Baby shower isn't supposed to happen for another couple of months" Alicia said as she had been meaning to ask Kate about it.

"Or never. I'm quite content to not have a baby shower" Kate said to Alicia who looked at her in mock horror at even the suggestion that Kate wouldn't have a baby shower.

"What? no! you didn't have a proper wedding so I couldn't torture you with dresses-"

"I'm wearing a dress right now" Kate said defensively cutting Alicia off.

"A nice big fluffy white wedding dress" Alicia stated Carter coughed as he tried to cover a laugh but it only brought attention on himself as Kate and Alicia looked at him daring himself to dig himself an early grave.

"What you think it's funny? Me wearing a white fluffy wedding dress?" Kate asked him in a tone that clearly warned him he was on thin ice not that he bothered to heed the warning.

"Yeah considering you are neither pure of soul or a virgin. Anyway where would you find such a monstrosity in Terra Nova?" he asked with a brave smile.

"Actually it's just a sign of wealth to wear a white wedding dress as it has nothing to with virginity or one's 'purity'. I'm sure " Kate told him as she adjusted Ava so the baby was lying on her shoulder.

"Still" he said in an eluding manner that she still didn't qualify for the above as he tilted his head as gesture of her pregnant stomach. Kate gave him a dark look.

"You know I feel like kicking you in the nuts so hard six future generations of Carter men will feel it and walk funny from agony but since you brought gifts and there are children I will refrain" Kate told him as she moved forward to inspect the crib and gifts that were parked on her front veranda.

"Well I'll remember to keep my visits limited to when you have impressionable children around. So do you like it?" Carter asked as he watched Kate and Olivia inspected the loot.

"Like it? I love it but you and the others sixers didn't need to get all this for me" Kate said as the sixers had bought her everything she could possibly need and more for the child.

"Really? Because I think it is the least we can do as you brought us in from the jungle and helped negotiate our surrender terms so we could have lives instead being caged away in the barracks. We consider you one of us as such we like give gifts and celebrate life. We'd all be here but only I could get away as all the others are at work" Carter said matter of factorial manner.

"Oh ok well Thank you, this very thoughtful and generous gesture. Awwh look it's a stuffed toy of a pterosaur!" Kate exclaimed as she pulled out the soft toy and showed Alicia with an excited smile.

"Cute" Alicia commented before Kate turned to show Olivia the toy with equal gushy excitement. Alicia wondered why Kate couldn't gush over her pregnancy like she was at the soft toys in the cribs. Olivia who grabbed the pterosaur out of Kate's hands and held it like it was meant for her and not Kate's future baby.

"Do you want me to hold the Baby?" Carter offered to Kate as she kept adjusting her hold on Ava while she and Olivia continued their perusual. Kate stopped and turned to look at Alicia for approval.

Alicia gave a shrug and half now with an expression as if to say 'yeah it's fine with me'. The sixers had been incredibly supportive of Kate and they kept a polite distance from Alicia and the twins which was deeply appreciated by Alicia unlike the civilian colonists who had no regard for Alicia's personal space. She watched Kate hand Ava over to Carter and couldn't help secretly hope that Ava would choose this moment to spew on Carter. She didn't mind Carter but the man had stolen her leather jacket a while ago so she did want him to be punished even if it was with spew or a diaper explosion. Alicia made a silent mental note to next time hand him Ella as she was always bad with strangers. She was definitely particular about the company she kept.

Carter took the child and held her to his side as Alicia was doing with Ella. He looked incredibly awkward and a tiny bit afraid as he looked at Ava and the baby looked at him with a wide eyes sizing him.

"I'm not used to kids are they supposed to stare at you?" Carter asked as he and Ava were in a staring competition of sorts.

"Yes, it's when they scrunch up their face or poke their tongue out at you that you should worry" Kate said as she opened the front door to her house and asked the soldiers to push the crib into the house for her.

"Why what does that mean?" Carter asked in a worried tone holding little Ava slightly away from him like she were a live grenade but also trying not to offend Alicia by holding the baby as far away from his personage as possible.

"Oh if you stick around for more than a day with these two you'll learn" Alicia assured him as she wore an amused smile.

"I'm so glad that will never happen as I don't plan on babysitting or ever having kids" Carter said as he watched Ava apprehensively waiting for her to do something he wouldn't like.

"Why not?" Kate asked him.

"Because I can barely take care of a rock let alone a baby. Speaking of you can take her back as I have to get back to work" Carter said as he held the baby out to Kate.

"Oh that's too bad. I think Ava likes you" Kate said in teasing manner as she took the baby back. "Sure you don't want to stick around for some tea" Kate said as she took Ava back from him.

"Next time" Carter told her and Alicia.

"Ok well can you thank everyone for my baby shower gift for me?" Kate asked.

"Yeah you guys know how to steal the thunder. Now what are the rest of us going to get Kate and the baby for their shower?" Alicia asked Carter who laughed.

"Luckily it's not my problem" Carter said and with a wave he left the house.

"They did really overdo it aye?" Kate said to Alicia in a low voice before Kate thanked the soldiers and moved into the room designated as the baby nursery. Olivia was by the crib still looking over the contents like she were at a toy store.

"Ah but it's less stuff for you to worry about" Alicia said.

"You have a point. I really hope there are two of those pterosaur toys as I don't have the heart to take that one away from Olivia" Kate remarked.

* * *

"I can't believe you kicked Kate out after dinner" Alicia said to taylor hours later. She was annoyed at Taylor as he had made Kate go to her home after dinner when Alicia had said it would've been fine if Kate stayed. She gently laid a sleeping Ella down in the crib next her sister Ava who was already fast asleep.

"I didn't kick her out. I sent Kate home. The whole point of the plan was to make her appear as an easy target if she stays here and the killer decides to attack tonight we'll miss the opportunity to catch her and finish this" Taylor said as he slid into the bed with a weary sigh as it had been a long and exhausting day. He really just wanted to hold Alicia and go to sleep.

"I don't get why you aren't as protective of her as you are of me" Alicia said as she was under 24 hour protection and Taylor made her wear her tags again so he could track her movements. They had the same security measures of cameras and alarm systems as Kate and Malcolm's house. But they had round the clock guards on the house while the guards on Kate's house would leave half an hour to an hour gap between shifts.

"I am protective of her but this is the plan. If anything happens Kate will punch the panic button we gave her and I'll go over there with the soldiers on this house. Until then we all need to play our parts" he told her.

"Easy for you as you lie here all relaxed and comfortable-"

"I beg to differ" Taylor said as he was feeling anything but relaxed with Alicia's current state, she was crackling frustrated energy and it wasn't conducive for him to relax and go to sleep when she was in the mood for a fight.

"Kate is wound tighter than a violin string. She needs to relax and have a solid night's rest without worrying about pressing a panic button and not being sliced and diced" Alicia said as she changed into her pyjamas and slid into the bed beside him.

"We all need this Killer to be caught and right now she is the only person we can count on being the next victim" Taylor said as he turned off the lights in the room and settled the bed. He knew Alicia was finished talking but figured it would be easier to talk in the dark and that the conversation would end sooner as she would get tired faster than with the lights on. He normally wasn't impatient to sleep but he was exhausted and it had been a long day so he'd rather shelve the conversation for later.

"I realise this but I'd like for my best friend to not have a complete meltdown" Alicia said turning to lie on her side and propped her head up with her elbow to look at him in the dark.

"Fine tomorrow night she can sleep here. Can we go to sleep now?" Taylor asked Alicia but she ignored his request and continued to talk.

"Tomorrow night Malcolm will be home so there isn't any point" Alicia told him, Taylor gave an aggravated sigh.

"Honestly woman what do you want me to do? go over there and hold her hand?" Taylor snapped at her.

"I want you to show me that you care and are deeply concerned about this" Alicia hissed as she shoved him in arm to vent her frustration out on him physically as well as verbally as he had been way to calm about everything the past two weeks. He caught one of her hands in his and looked at her in the dark. He turned on his bedside table to a low setting so she could see him. They locked eyes for a moment and silence fell between them for a moment.

"I care. I do, Kate is family to me" he informed her.

"If you cared for her like family then you'd be digging trenches in the living area from pacing-" Alicia started but Taylor cut Alicia off.

"Alicia, I love you but I can't be worried and pace the floors all night because of something that may or may not happen. I have a Colony to run and we have two girls who don't sleep through the night and in a few hours will need us. Kate is a highly trained soldier, if she believes she's in danger she'll press the panic button and I will jump into action until then I'm going to remain calm and get some sleep" he informed her as he gently kissed the palm of the hand he held.

"I can't sleep" She said as she flopped down to lie next to him. Taylor smiled as he took the opportunity to roll on top of her. If he wasn't going to sleep he was definitely going to make good use of that time.

"I can help you with that" he said suggestively as he rolled his hips against hers. He was getting hard from just thinking about the prospect of having sex with Alicia. He had been taking slow with Alicia as he made her draw the lines of how far they would go physically. She looked up at him incredulously as one moment they looked on the verge of a fight and now he wanted to have sex with her. But that wasn't why she was looking at him incredulously.

"Really? You wouldn't have sex with me when I was pregnant because the twin would 'feel' it but now it's open season with them in the room?" Alicia asked him as she wrapped her legs around his waist anchoring him to her and impeding his movements but also just because she wanted to enjoy the physically weight of him on top of her for a few moments before she pushed him away.

"At this rate I'm never getting laid again am I?" he asked in a teasing tone that made Alicia roll her eyes and smiled up at him.

"Not until the Killer is caught and I feel safe having the girls in their nursery because I will not have sex with you while they are in the room" Alicia told him in a matter of factorial tone. Taylor made a face as he was ready to go.

"They wouldn't know any better or even remember and we are under the covers" Taylor said as he dropped his head and made a trail of soft kisses up her neck to the sweet spot just below her ear.

"Uh uh not going to happen" She told him as she dropped her legs from around his waist and attempted to squirm away from him but he continued kissing her neck and teasing her.

"We could go into the living area" he offered with a mischievous grin she could feel against her skin as he kissed her collar bone.

"And give the command centre a show? I think not and anyway I'm too worried about Kate to even get in the mood. So up and off" Alicia told him as she flipped them so she was on top. Taylor smiled as he was sure she was lying about not being in mood but was shocked as Alicia got out of bed.

"Where you going?" He asked as he wished he had caught her ankle or hand to pull her back into bed.

"I'm going to exercise" Alicia told him.

"We-" he started in a an eluding fashin to say they were going to have sex and then add it would help them relax and sleep but Alicia cut him off.

"No, you said you were exhausted. So don't worry I'll be fine, so you should just go to sleep and get some rest" Alicia drawled sarcastically throwing his words back at him before she headed into the living area.

* * *

At Carter's house on the east side of the colony.

"Did she take the present?" Mira asked as she walked into the spare bedroom where Carter had set up a several plex screens and chairs to watch. The screens were playing live time security fees of Kate's house. Exterior and interior that they had hacked into from a remote device they had placed in the main server room in the command centre. Thanks to a couple of well placed microphones with the crib and one Carter had thrown into the house gave them audio. It had taken a couple of weeks to get it set up but well worth it as they wouldn't have to have their people out watching the house anymore. Daniel and Carter turned in their chairs away from the screen and looked to Mira.

"Yes she did in fact she loves and sends her thanks to everyone" Carter said.

"I see you had no problems in getting the system up and running" Mira said as .

"She loved the Pterosaur stuffed toy and yes it's working, as we speak we have live feeds of the cameras and audio thanks to the mikes I placed in the crib and in the living area before I left. We could start our own big brother show" Carter said as he gestured to the multiple plex screens.

"Doesn't tickle my fancy to watch a pregnant woman sharpen knives and a clean old gun but hey I'm sure it works for someone out there" Daniel remarked.

Kate was currently off screen in the bedroom but from the noise she was making she was sitting in the dark impatiently as she kept moving around and peering through the shutters or that's what Carter assumed as the noise sounded like the slats of the blind hitting one another.

"It's been a quiet night" Carter said to Mira.

"Good. Keep me posted" Mira said as she had devised a roster that she and the other sixers take shifts keeping an eye on Kate's place ever since the last incident. She wanted to be alerted if the killer appeared so that she could get her hands on the woman and make her 'disappear' before Taylor and his men caught her. If Taylor caught this mystery woman first then she'd be tossed into the brig but Mira was old school she wanted an 'eye for an eye'. Now they had live feeds they could watch from a distance and intervene when the time came.

"Will do" Carter said as he settled into his chair for the night.

* * *

Kate sat on the bed in the dark with her sonic pistol at her side ready for any sign of danger. Every night was like this for the past two weeks. Her nerves were completely fried from waiting for a visitor who never came and she wished she hadn't agreed to the plan. She already spent the last two hours deconstructing and cleaning her old sig sauer to calm herself. After the task was complet she hid the gun back into the bottom drawer in the kitchen before attempting to go to bed. The tags around her neck weighed heavily and she desperately wanted to play with them but didn't want to accidently push the panic button. So after an hour of tossing and turning she sat up in bed with the sonic pistol in hand.

She grimaced as her pregnant body was not equipped for her old lifestyle. Sitting still and trying to be quiet seemed an impossible feat as she had a headache and back ached and it felt like bucket of wild butterflies fluttering about in her stomach thanks to the baby that wouldn't go to sleep in her. Kate gave a slow exhale as she rubbed a hand over the swell of her stomach. She had watched Alicia do it before and hoped maybe the motion would settle the baby, as she really needed to relax and having it wriggle inside her was not helping.

She heard noise coming from the front door and knew it was too early for Malcolm to be home. She gripped the pistol tightly in her hand as she stood up and moved to the bedroom door preparing herself. A second later she relaxed as Malcolm called out and the living room lights came on. Kate gave a sigh of relief and placed her sonic pistol on the dresser table before she walked into the living room to greet him.

"Hi" Kate said with a soft smile.

"I'm home a little earlier than I should be but I was worried about you" Malcolm said as he pulled his jacket off and hung it over a dining chair before moving towards her.

"I'm fine" She told him as he cupped her face with both of his hands and tilted her face up to his so he could look at her more closely.

"Liar" he said in a low voice to her. Kate closed her eyes and leaned into his hands as he kissed her eyelids softly before moving his lips to hers in a slow and sensual kiss.

* * *

"This is impossible. We can't" the meek woman said as she shrunk down in her seat at the table. Caetano stood by the back door watching her son play in the backyard. Two weeks they had been watching Deputy Renshaw from the distance making sure they weren't detected by the soldiers or the sixers who had taken up a nasty habit of lurking in the shadows.

"Get a back bone woman. of course we can" the man with the knife sneered as he couldn't stand the snivelling nature of the meek woman.

"Oh because the guards are a little lazy and we have a sonic pistol this is going to work perfectly? Let's not forget the sixers who have been watching her house" the woman in her 50's asked in a patronising manner.

"That is why we need a distraction" Caetano said turning away for a moment to look at those at the table.

"Yes, I told you that we need to disable the power relays for the command centre. We disable power stations 43 and 29 we can know out power on the east side of the colony" The soldier told them

"Blow them up" the man with the knife said excitedly.

"Please, a simple short circuit in the system will do. We don't need the damage the colony's power infrastructure. Just temporarily cut out the power so we can keep them busy so they can't send back up right away. I only need to get into the power stations" Caetano said.

"I've got that covered" The soldier said.

"Ok but what about the soldiers and the sixers?" the meek woman asked.

"That's what the sonic pistol is for. On low setting wide beam setting you can't see the blast but you feel it. It knocks the person unconcious. This plan could work as long as we time it well and know exactly where the soldiers are at the time" The soldier said.

"Which means we are back to lurking in the bushes and surveilling" the man with a knife drawled in a bored tone.

"We don't have to, the soldiers who have been on duty stay in the same locations. We will finish this tomorrow and finally move on with the list. I'm getting tired of this mission" Caetano said with a sigh.

* * *

"Anything I should know?" Mira asked as she stopped by Carter's house with some breakfast and coffee the following morning. Carter took a swig of the coffee and shook his head.

"No, there was a slight shadow on one of the exterior feeds but nothing to identify who and the soldiers didn't see it or it could have been an animal. But on a good note, all sixers have been accounted for this morning we are not missing a soul yet." Carter commented as he had the duty of spying on Kate and keeping track of the sixers while Mira maintained everyone's sanity by remaining calm and in control.

"And Kate?" Mira asked.

"Well besides discovering a new found respect for Dr Wallace. I got nothing to report" Carter told her.

"Do I want to know?" She drawled in a dull tone as she wasn't interested but asked the question anyway.

"No" Carter told her but he gave a smile that answered Mira's query that it was probably something to do with sex as Carter was a man of very simple interests.


	51. Chapter 51

"What's all this?" Alicia asked as she woke up to the delicious aroma of French toast, pancakes and fresh fruit. She had gotten out of bed to investigate and found the dining table set up with a huge spread of food and all the trimmings for breakfast.

"It's breakfast"

"I can see that but what's with all the table settings. Did I miss something? because Evan took Olivia home last night and if anyone should be apologising with a big breakfast it should be me" Alicia said as she moved to sit down at the table. The twins were blissfully asleep in their crib and would be for a few more hours.

"No apologies necessary. Anyway we both need a balanced diet and what you don't eat Kate can finish off when she comes over" he said to Alicia with an amused smile as he placed two small stacks of pancakes and French toast on the table.

"If she's feeling ok" Alicia said as she started piling fresh fruit and a piece of French toast on the plate.

"She looked a little pale and wobbly on her feet yesterday" Taylor commented as he went for pancakes and French toast. The man had a black hole in his stomach as he consumed a vast amount of food but burned the calories off with regular exercise.

"Her centre of gravity is shifting because of the pregnancy it happens around this time" Alicia said as she knew that Kate was embarrassed from her

"The fainting is low blood pressure?" Taylor offered with a smile that said he knew the truth even though Kate and Alicia hadn't uttered a word to him. Alicia shot a look at him and he held his hands up in surrender. "I can't help it if Malcolm asked me some advice" he told her.

"Malcolm told you"

"Yes, it was a mildly uncomfortable conversation I never want to repeat but then that's what you get for having a conversation with a scientist. They have no sense of boundaries when it comes to questions" Taylor said, Alicia laughed as Taylor looked genuinely embarrased which was very rare.

"Well I'm sure he's applied your knowledge well" Alicia said before she took a bite of her breakfast.

"So how are you feeling this morning?" he asked her changing the conversation away from Kate and Malcolm's sex life. It only made him think of how his was lacking at the moment. They had gotten their intimacy back true but he still craved to possess her body and share the intimacy they had when they were having sex.

"Tired but otherwise I'm good. You?" Alicia asked.

"Fine, is Olivia camping with us tonight?" Taylor asked her as they turned the conversation to light everyday information.

"Sean and Olivia tonight. Why is Evan working as late as Malcolm? Is this your doing or-"

"He asked to work the longer hours as he told you last week he just wants to finish the project" Taylor said, he was amazed Evan hadn't spoken to his sister about what Lucas told him as Taylor assumed he would of 2 weeks ago. Apparently finishing the terminus was taking precedence over that conversation.

"I know but he's putting in long hours with Evan" Alicia said she was worried about her little brother working long hours and not getting enough rest. That and his kids were starting to miss his presence as he dedicated more and more of his time to the finishing the repairs.

"Evan doesn't want to deal with Lucas but needs Lucas to stay focussed to finish the project. I think that is why he is burning the candle at both ends" Taylor told her, he hadn't planned to tell Alicia that but then he couldn't come up with another plausible reason for Evan working late.

"I knew Evan wouldn't be able to handle dealing with Lucas" Alicia said.

"Give your brother credit, he holds his own but Lucas's choice of conversation isn't easy to listen to. Lucas has been talking about the occupation, Kate, you and Ellyas" Taylor told her. Alicia dropped her fork to her plate and leaned back to look at Taylor for a second to see if he was just making a very poor joke.

"I never wanted him to know" Alicia said in a disappointed tone.

"I know he wants to talk about it with you" Taylor told her.

"I prefer to not discuss it with anyone" Alicia said as she picked up her fork again and viciously attacked the remains of the french toast on her plate.

"It's your choice I didn't tell him anything Lucas hadn't already told him and I said you didn't talk about that time in your life" Taylor told her.

"That won't stop him from asking" Alicia said.

"You can say no" Taylor told her.

"I will. I never want to speak of that man or time of my life ever again" Alicia said adamantly as she didn't want to even think about. She looked over to the crib where the twins were sleeping. The future she imagined for herself that she never truly believed would have happened but yet here she was. The sudden stark contrast of that past and her present made that made her smile for a brief moment as she realised truly how much her life had changed for the better.

"We're very lucky people" Alicia said as she turned her attention back to Taylor, her mood lighter as she looked at him feeling in a better mood. He returned the smile.

"We have been so far and touch wood it continues" Taylor said as he tapped the table with his knuckles. Alicia looked at him oddly. "It's a 21st century thing Kate does" he explained.

"I know but you don't believe in luck" Alicia said.

"Doesn't hurt to cover my bases as I have three beautiful women to look after" Taylor said.

"Speaking of Beautiful women. This plan you and Jim have for Kate that isn't working has to stop" Alicia told him.

"Not Kate again-" Taylor started as he picked up a piece of french toast and placed it on his plate.

"Do you know that stress can make the body release corticotropin-releasing hormone which is linked to preterm labour? Not mention numerous studies have shown that stress can have a devastating impact on pregnancy and childbirth?" Alicia asked him in a calm and authorative tone.

"Kate agreed to it, she knew what she was signing up for" Taylor grumbled as he thought their breakfast had been turning into an enjoyable affair.

"You're making her sit at home alone with a gun for over 3 hours an evening with just her paranoid thoughts and fried nerves to keep her company. I don't think she signed up for 2 weeks of it" Alicia said.

"I'll admit, it's not a perfect plan but it was worth a try as we have no solid evidence to follow" Taylor said as he piled some fruit onto the plate aswell before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Well I want it stop. Switch the soldiers on rotation and make them do their jobs properly."

"They are doing their jobs properly" Taylor told her.

"You know what I mean." Alicia told him.

"You think you can get your way on this?" Taylor asked her sceptically as he wasn't ready to throw in the towel until the killer was caught.

"I do" Alicia told him.

"How?" Taylor asked.

"Well if Kate is guarded properly then she and Malcolm can finally relax and get the sleep they need. When they are rested they'll be able to take the twins for a few hours to give us some time alone one afternoon. Maybe finish what we have been starting and leaving for the past few days" Alicia drawled in a coy manner as she looked at him from across the table. Though there was nothign coy about what she was insinuating.

"That is cruel" Taylor told her as they hadn't had sex in months and while he was patient in waiting for her to be ready for sex which he assumed was when she felt more confident in her skin. Something he knew she got from being in good shape.

"Depends on how desperate you are to be with me sans the twins interrupting us" Alicia told him, she purposely bit her bottom lip as she looked at him with heated eyes. She had to admit just thinking about sex was turning her on. She might not be in her ideal shape but she could use a good afternoon romp to boost her confidence and relax. She also wanted to feel the intimacy she and Taylor shared when they made love.

Taylor exhaled slowly as she was making hard just looking at him the way she was right now. Her eyes had darkened with desire as she continued to look at him it was easy to tell her thoughts were heavily explicit and about them. He was sure if she didn't stop looking at him soon he would leap across the table and take her on the floor but he held back as there were cameras in the living area for security purposes. He was not going to give his soldiers a show.

Alicia quirked an eyebrow at him as she licked her lips and took another bite of her breakfast. She still looking at him with a saucy look as she chewed.

"You're trying my control" he told her in a low voice.

"Well it's up to you. I know for a fact I can't have my girls alone in the nursery while there is a killer on the loose. I'll be too distracted and worried about them to enjoy myself. But if they are with Kate and Malcolm with guards I'll be able to give you my undivided attention" Alicia told him giving him the offer that was too good to pass.

"You can only play this card once. Sure you want to use it now?" Taylor asked her.

"I haven't played any cards. I'm just telling you how it is and suggesting a possible solution that makes more than one party happy. So are you going to tell Kate that you've rethought the original plan and feel considering there has been no success that you're putting a stop to it?" Alicia asked.

"I don't think I like or appreciate you putting words in my mouth like I'm your puppet playing to your tune" Taylor said he silently added 'for sex' as he didn't want to come right out and say what he truly thought which was that Alicia was bartering sex for Kate's safety which was never really in danger but obviously Alicia felt that way. He wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"Welcome to my world" Alicia told him, her words hitting well below the belt. "Anyway, I want you and Shannon to start taking care of Kate not use her like bait. The killer will make her move no matter how lax or present the guards are. Also Malcolm and I can only do so much to keep her calm and relaxed." Alicia added before she took a long sip of her fruit juice.

"I'll talk it over with Shannon. We were hoping the killer would have tried something this past week but obviously she didn't take the bait or moved onto an easier target. Anyway I believe the Shannons' offered to babysit for us if we wanted a few hours to ourselves" Taylor said so Alicia was aware her bargaining chip wouldn't work though it did give him ideas for prospective 'date' nights.

"The Shannons' live on the west side of the colony. If we dropped off the twins with them, everyone would know we were abandoning our children for sex whereas Kate and Malcolm are conveniently a few steps away from us. Less talk more action and we can pick up the twins with minimal ease. It's far more productive and efficient use of time and resources" Alicia said in a matter of factorial manner to him as she ran her foot slowly up and down his calf under the table teasing him.

* * *

"You didn't pass out" Malcolm remarked as they were still lying in bed, naked and completely sated. Kate laid her head on his shoulder while his left arm curled loosely around her shoulders. She was currently interlocking the fingers of her left hand with his right hand.

"Nearly did bit then I remembered to breathe" Kate said as she was watching the interplay of their fingers with a lazy smile as she was sure she could fall straight back to sleep. Malcolm gave a chuckle as he kissed forehead.

"Feeling relaxed?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes, you know you don't have to sex me into a coma to relax me. A foot rub or a back massage will work just as well" Kate told him with a chuckle as pulled their interlocked hands and playfully bit the tip of his thumb.

"Mmm but I like this way better. Saves me from going to the gym. Is the baby rolling around in there?" Malcolm murmured smugly as they had learned he was the only one who could calm the baby from moving and wriggling around like it was on a sugar high to a more relaxed state. He had a feeling the baby was just reflecting the stress and tension Kate felt through moving and squirming as Kate relaxed around him.

"No, must be sleeping. So what time are you abandoning me today?" Kate asked him as he was usually up and out of bed early to go to work but not today.

"Not until 10am" he told her as he looked to the clock noting it was only 7:30 before turning his attention back to Kate.

"You're violating the plan again. Taylor and Shannon will not be pleased with you especially after they hear how you came home an hour earlier than you were supposed to" Kate said in a conspiratorial manner like he was committing a crime.

"They can get stuffed. I prefer to think of it as enjoying some quality time with pregnant wife before the baby arrives which far more important than a plan that has done nothing but cause undue stress that is affecting you and our girl's health" Malcolm said.

"Our girl? there is no proof-"

"Of course not but I can dream. Anyway your blood pressure is unstable and sometimes you wobble around like a drunk woman" he told her.

"My centre of gravity is changing it is perfectly normal to feel off balanced and couple that with the rolling machine in me I feel like I'm a rocky boat. so ofcourse I'm going to walk a little funny" Kate said defensively.

"You have also more fatigued, incredibly tense and been having more headaches and body pains since we started Shannon's plan. It's not good for your health" he told her.

"It was worth a try and stop genderising our kid. It'll be really funny if 'she' turns out to be a 'he'" Kate said as it wasn't the first time Malcolm had called their baby a 'she' though last week he had been entirely set that it was a 'he'. She wondered if it was a new ploy to find out the sex of the baby.

"Genderising. I don't believe that is a real word" Malcolm commented.

"You'll still be red faced if you get the sex of the baby wrong" Kate pointed out with a smile playing on lips just imagining the scenario where he called the baby by a girl's name only for it to be a boy or vice versa.

"I don't know. I think it will be a girl. We could always find out" Malcolm told her.

"It's going to be a surprise and don't cheat" she told him firmly, she turned around so she was lying half on top of him and looked at him with a no nonsense look.

"I would never. Anyway just think a girl with my brains and your good looks" he told her as he slowly traced her back with his fingers.

"What's wrong with my brains?" She asked with raised eyebrows.

"Nothing they are very beautiful brains but the girl has to have something I claim to be mine as she'll look just like you" Malcolm said paying Kate a compliment even though he knew the child would have a mixture of their features.

"What happens when it's a boy? Are you going to be disappointed?" Kate asked as Malcolm appeared to really like the idea of a girl but then before he lost his memory he had said he wanted three little girls even told her the statistically speaking rate of having a girl was much higher than having boys.

"No, I'll be happy either way as long as she or he is healthy" he assured her.

"Mmm well I'll do my best but to be healthy I'm going to need food and sooner the better" Kate informed him as she was getting hungry, she pushed up off the bed and Malcolm to a seated position and looked at Malcolm. "So what do you want for breakfast?" She asked him.

* * *

"You ok?" Alicia asked Kate as they were reclining on the lounges in the living area being incredibly lazy after finishing their lunch. The redhead who had been chatting amiably suddenly stopped and went incredibly pale and she looked like she was going to be sick. Alicia knew it wasn't the lunch as she ate the food as her and was completely fine.

"I feel funky, this kid is making me nauseous" Kate said making a face as she placed a hand at the base of her throat where her collar bones met and stroked the area to calm her nausea as she breathed slow and easy breaths.

"You shouldn't have morning sickness now as your hormones would have settled by now" Alicia said.

"Bleh, no it's not morning sickness it's motion sickness. The baby is moving when it was smaller it wasn't so bad just little bubbles and now it's I have a wave machine in there and sometimes it's just incredibly nauseating like right now" Kate said as she blinked a couple of times as if trying to orient herself.

"Punishment for calling it a parasite" Alicia told her, Kate flipped her the one finger salute as it was fast becoming Kate's go to response for Alicia's quips. Alicia chuckled as she moved from her lounge and sat down next to Kate. She felt Kate's temperature to make sure it was just an overactive baby and not something more.

"May I have a feel?" Alicia asked gesturing to Kate's stomach.

"Knock yourself out but if you feel any activity... It never happened! Malcolm would be crushed if he wasn't the first to feel the baby move" Kate said as she gave a sickly moan and closed her eyes. She was ready to call Malcolm and make him come over to calm the baby before she lost her lunch.

"Well it's rare to feel movement from the outside womb before week 20 but not unheard of" Alicia said as she placed her hands on Kate's protruding stomach feeling Kate up for a moment to see if she could feel the movements.

"If that's the case why are you feeling me up?" Kate asked.

"Well you might have a thin abdominal wall which would mean I'd be able to feel your baby moving in there. That and I wanted to speak to your baby as payback for when you did it to the twins." Alicia gave Kate a mischievous smile before she spoke down at Kate's stomach. "Hello little one, I'm your godmother Alicia. Now if you don't settle down in there, I won't teach you how to fight and outdrink every person in the bar" Alicia said to Kate's stomach.

"Seriously? You're giving my kid an ultimatum in the womb?" Kate asked Alicia incredulously.

"Did it work?" Alicia asked with an amused smile as she could just feel the slightest flutters of movement when the baby grazed a foot or a hand on the wall of the womb. But she didn't say anything as it wasn't particularly note worthy.

"No, it only calms down for Malcolm. Maybe you should speak deeper, more masculine voice and with a British accent" Kate said sarcastically. Alicia laughed as she took her hands off Kate's stomach and sat up. She leaned back against the lounge and felt sympathy for Kate.

"Well it worth a try, want to go for a walk? It helped me when the twins acted up in me the first few weeks while I adjusted to the movements. Can't say I ever got motion sickness" Alicia said.

"Yeah but you had wicked morning sickness. I'll be fine, if it gets worse I'll either call Malcolm or chunder"

"Or we can call Malcolm. I would prefer that"

"I would prefer that as well as I don't want to waste my lunch"

"Me too, you make the worst noises and I don't want my babies hearing that" Alicia said in a matter factorial tone even though she was joking.

"Thanks" Kate said dryly. "So, how is the taming of Alicia Taylor coming along?" Kate asked with a sly smile changing the topic in the hopes of distracting herself from the nausea.

"You make it sound like I'm a shrew" Alicia said folding her arms across her chest.

"You a shrew? Never but seriously you two could use with some alone time of the sexual variety. I heard Taylor is a right pain in ass and some are suggesting to offer their baby sitting services so they don't have to run so many suicide drills in PT" Kate said with a smile as she was only relaying what Malcolm had been complaining about. Kate had to admit she kind of liked how Malcolm was taking a more proactive role in his health.

"Well I did mention it to Taylor that I would like to get laid" Alicia said she wasn't going to mention that she proposition Taylor with the proviso that he put a stop to the plan to catch the killer using Kate as bait though. Kate didn't need to know that.

"What were his thoughts on the subject?" Kate asked with a smile.

"Taylor's more concerned about the Killer and getting enough sleep" Alicia lied.

* * *

"Malcolm, Evan. How are the repairs progressing?" Taylor asked as he and Jim walked into the main research labs. Now that Malcolm was on the project full time for all intents and purposes he moved the project so it would be less of a commute for him and Evan. He also kept the terminus in the main labs as he could lock the terminus up at night.

"Well, I'd say we'll finish the repairs very soon and Lucas believes he will be able to complete his work within 3 months maximum. I hope you don't mind I told Evan to rescind the previous bargain and keep him in the brig until he finished his work first." Malcolm said taing responsibility of something Evan had done during his last visit with Lucas.

"You should have spoken to me first" Taylor said slightly annoyed Evan and Malcolm bypassed his authority on the matter.

"Well I suggested it and Malcolm agreed as we both looked over his previous work has been substandard. He hasn't been holding up his end of the agreement and anyway the construction hasn't finished on the cell which Lucas doesn't know. So I saw no harm in stretching the truth with him. I also spoke with Mira and she agreed to not tell Lucas the truth" Evan said calmly.

"Still I prefer you two keep me in the loop. Next time come to me before you circumnavigate my authority. Sometimes asking forgiveness later is not the best route" Taylor said coolly. He didn't like people going behind his back especially in regards to Lucas.

"Noted" Malcolm said while Evan gave a nod. "Was there something else we can do for you Gentlemen?" Malcolm asked as he was sure Jim and Taylor didn't come all this way for a progress report.

"Yes, Shannon and I discussed the current situation regarding your wife" Taylor said.

"Ok" Malcolm said not sure where Taylor was going with the conversation.

"We have decided since the plan has not reaped any benefits it was time to can it. You no longer have to work late unless by your own choice and there will be three shifts of soldiers on guard duty until the situation is resolved" Taylor told Malcolm in a formal manner.

"I'm glad to hear it. I'm sure Kate was when you told her" Malcolm said.

"She will be, we are going over to see her now. I just wanted to tell you first" Taylor said.

"Thank you, I appreciate it. Looks I'll be finishing at a regular time today" Malcolm said with a smile to the men as he was ready to go home now instead of being bent over a lab table soldering circuit boards.

"After you left early last night and you came in late this morning?" Taylor asked Malcolm who wasn't surprised Taylor even knew but then his soldiers would have reported him. But was surprised by the edge of disapproval in Taylor's tone.

"I was worried about my wife and considering the hours I have been putting in at the labs I'm entitled to a few hours off in the morning. Not that you can dictate my hours since I'm the head of the department and I'm already working overtime for this month" Malcolm told Taylor as he was not going to have the older man make him feel like he was in the wrong for taking half of the morning off to be with Kate especially after long hours he'd been working.

Taylor eyed Malcolm for a moment as if sizing him up before he gave a nod. "Well come on Shannon we got places to be" Taylor said and with that Taylos and Jim left the labs as soon as they were out of ear shot.

"Man, Taylor got a bug up his ass quick about Lucas" Evan mumbled as he kept his head down and continued working.

"As I understand it Lucas is a particularly touchy area of his. There is no right way of approaching the subject with him" Malcolm said as he turned his attention to the work in front of him.

"I hear that. So how you going with all the craziness and Kate etc. She appreciate you going home early yesterday?" Evan asked making light conversation so they could drift away from the topic of Lucas and Taylor.

"Yes, you wouldn't think being home an hour early would really make a difference but it did. She's been getting nauseous as she can feel the baby moving around more" Malcolm said.

"My wife had that with Olivia. She was a lively baby inside of Lena. Squirming, hiccupping, kicking, rolling you name it that girl didn't stop moving for more than 10 minutes or so Lena complained. Used to drive Lena nuts when she was trying to sleep but once Olivia was born she was the calmest baby in the hospital ward and remained so-"

"Until she turned 2?" Malcolm offered with a smile so Evan didn't take offence. Malcolm thought Olivia was incredibly lively for a 2 and half year old considering the child was bounced out daycare at least once a week for bad behaviour. Though Malcolm never saw Olivia behave badly persay unless one counted her table manners but then she was still learning.

"Yeah well she was really sick growing up and had bad fatigue from not being able to breathe properly. Now we're here in Terra Nova she's acting up now because she is breathing clean air and has more energy and freedom to run and play." Evan explained.

"She is a happy child and that's what matters right? So any tips for Kate?" Malcolm asked Evan looked up from his work and gave the question some thought before answering.

"Not really, try relaxing music or just tell the kid to cut it out" Evan offered with a smile.

"Did that and it worked but I can't exactly follow Kate around 24/7 telling my future child to stop moving around and making her sick now can I?" Malcolm asked with a chuckle as it would be quite a scene.

"Well it would be funny to watch" Evan replied with a chuckle.


	52. Chapter 52

"That's it" Kate said as Jim and Taylor informed her the plan was finished with. After two weeks of nothing they were just scrapping it. She was actually relieved to hear the news as she was tired playing the cheese in the trap.

"Yes" Taylor said as he sat opposite her at the table with Alicia to his right.

"After two weeks you're calling it quits. Why?" Kate asked them.

"Honestly?" Jim asked her, Kate turned to her left and looked Jim in the eyes.

"No lie to me, I found it oddly comforting" Kate said dryly. Alicia smiled into her cup of tea while Jim and Taylor were expecting Kate to be a little more friendlier now she was going to be able to sleep well at night.

"It's been over two weeks and nothing. I have a feeling the killer is organising something big which is why she is lying low-" Taylor said only for Kate to cut him off.

"Something big for me or the whole colony? I'd hate to feel like I'm so special she needs to plan a huge production just to kill me. All it takes is a well placed shot or a bomb. I would use a bomb, it's easy to construct and plant and all you need is for it to be blown at night when I'd definitely be at home" Kate said thoughtfully as Jim looked to Taylor and Alicia with concern at Kate's morbid thoughts.

"Let's hope that idea hasn't crossed the killer's mind" Taylor told Kate who he was sure was now cataloguing all the places she place a bomb in her house.

"I know I'm kind of sick of having to rebuild the place I live every few months. Choosing a colour scheme would be a bit of bitch fight with Malcolm" Kate half joked, she really didn't care about that as all she could think about now was pulling up floor boards and checking the crawl spaces for a bomb and all the other hiding places she would put a bomb.

"So, the plan is scrapped and the soldiers guarding your house will be changed so it doesn't look like we were trying to play at something. No more messing around we play it by the book" Jim said to Kate, he was slightly disappointed it hadn't worked.

"Ok, does Malcolm know all this?" Kate asked.

"Yes" Taylor said.

"In fact I think he was ready to call it a day when he got the news" Jim said.

"Talk about a man with no work ethic" Kate drawled sarcastically, she gave a smile before she took a sip of her tea.

"So you can return the sig back to my vault" Taylor said. Kate looked to Alicia who shook her head as if to say 'I didn't tell him'. She and Alicia had pulled Kate's old Sig Sauer from the gun safe in the house along with her cleaning kit to give her something to keep her mind calm and hands busy when Malcolm wasn't around.

"How?" Kate asked Taylor. He gave her an incredulous look.

"I know everything and there are security cameras inside this house" Taylor told her.

"Right, well no I'm keeping the gun" Kate told him

"Kate" he said in a warning tone as he didn't like to argue with Kate. He gave her the look would have made many of his soldiers quake in their boots but not Kate.

"It's my gun" She told him.

"Bullets pass through walls" Taylor argued which was his main concern about her having a gun.

"So do sonic blasts when they are turned to a specific setting" Kate countered.

"There are only 10 bullets and a sonic pistol is indefinite amount of rounds as long as you keep it on a low setting" Taylor told Kate.

"I like my gun and anyway why are we arguing the merits of which gun is better when all I'm doing is cleaning my sig to keep me calm. I don't intend to use it" Kate said _unless I have to…_ she added in her head.

"I want it back in my safe" Taylor told her.

"It's not going to happen. I'm not giving up my gun with killer still out there" Kate told Taylor.

"You have three sonic pistols including the one Malcolm has in the bedside table" Taylor told her, Kate pursed her lips as she actually had five guns as she had procured a couple more from the master of arms. She was amazed they hadn't told Taylor and she was definitely not going to mention it to Taylor.

"Talk about a cliché spot to put a gun" Jim mumbled. Kate looked to Jim.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know there was an unwritten rule that all gun toting citizens of the 22nd century shall stow their guns in the top draw in the kitchen next to the garlic crusher" Kate drawled mockingly to Jim.

"Yes it is. So where do you keep your guns?" Jim asked.

"I like to keep mine under my pillow but Malcolm doesn't like it hence the gun safe" Kate told him like it was a dirty secret.

"No, really where do you keep your gun?" Jim asked her.

"That's my business but when the kids are around or Malcolm finds my other hiding places it's in the gun safe in the bedroom" Kate told him, her comm. buzzed and she pulled it out of the pocket of her maxi dress and read the message. A smile spread across her lips as it was from Malcolm.

"Anything dirty?" Jim asked as he leaned towards Kate to look at the comm unit but Kate pushed his face away with the palm of her hand.

"No but it's rude to read other people's messages"

"I wish Liz would write me dirty messages"

"Please I once got a message from your wife that was meant for you. So I know for a fact she writes dirty messages to you" Kate told him as she tapped in her response and sent it.

"They aren't dirty" Jim told her, Kate looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Really? you sticking with that story because I have it saved you want me to read out loud?" Kate asked Jim as she made it look like she was sorting through her comm. unit's message banks.

"You wouldn't" Jim said.

"Try me" Kate challenged with a smile.

"Honestly how old are you two?" Taylor asked them, Jim and Kate looked at him and paused for a moment as if pondering his question. Alicia knew that Taylor had just put fuel on the fire when it came to Jim and Kate having irreverent conversations. She had learned as Kate and Evan gave her the same look a few days before having one of the most randoms conversations with one another.

"Are you speaking mentally or physically?" Kate asked Taylor with an innocent tilt of her head.

"She has a point and when you say physically do you count the time differences of when we were born as well?" Jim asked. Kate's eyes went wide as if she were having an epiphany.

"Oh that's a good point because I would be older than you" Kate told him,

"Actually you'd be the oldest living Terra Novan" Jim told her in a matter of factorial conversation.

"Can we put a hundred and sixty so candles on my cake for my birthday this year?" Kate asked Jim looking excited at the idea of having a cake covered in 160 or more candles. Taylor looked to Alicia with an expression of 'why did I start this?'

"If that's what you want then Malcolm will have to organise a bigger cake and we'll have to scrounge up the candles and fire extinguishes" Jim told her.

"Well you're the sheriff just go around and confiscate the candles" Kate told him.

"You know you need to have a valid reason for confiscating items. You just can't take things from people. It's stealing" Jim told her.

"They are a fire hazard" Kate said like it was already obvious what the answer was.

* * *

"You should let Kate keep her gun" Alicia said to Taylor when Kate and Jim left the house as Elisabeth had called to remind Kate of her follow up appointment. The two still making imaginary plans for Kate's 160th Birthday as it only seemed fair for them to give her a well rounded age as they couldn't be bothered to do the math.

"I gave up the plan and it wasn't for sex" Taylor told Alicia he wanted her to know he wasn't going to be bribed with sexual favours.

"No?" Alicia asked with a smile.

"No, I talked with Doc Shannon asked about Kate and what you mentioned this morning about stress and pregnancy" Taylor said.

"Ok, I guess that means I'm off the hook" Alicia said as she leaned against the front door.

"No it doesn't" Taylor told her.

"Yes it does, you told me it wasn't for me or sex so yeah this is me off the hook" Alicia said with a victorious smile as she pushed off the door. She would have moved to the kitchen but Taylor had other plans.

In a lightning move, Taylor hooked an arm around her waist and hauled her against him. He caught her lips with his, and kissed her hard.

With a groan of pleasure, Alicia kissed him back, blindly, arms coiling around his neck, fingers sliding into his salt and pepper hair. The kiss was a scalding eruption of weeks of repressed passion.

It escalated to the next level as Taylor backed her into the nursery room and against the wall, using the partition to secure her to him as he slid his scorching palms up her body and cupped both of her breasts.

"You know the cameras and a soldier watching this" Alicia told Taylor in a breathless voice as he looked at her with heated eyes and allowed his hands to slowly roam her body.

"Blind spot right here" he told her. She looked and noted the spot for later reference. It was a corner in the nursery but with the doors open she could see the living area and the side hallway so all views of the main access points to the house that lead to the twins.

"Or we can take this to the bedroom" Taylor said before he kissed her again this time deepening the kiss and plundering her mouth with his tongue. He wished Alicia was wearing a dress instead of pants as he moved his hands to cup her bottom and lifted her off her feet. At the same time she at the same time, she practically climbed him, coiling her legs around his hips.

"We can't" Alicia told him as she pulled away from the kiss. Taylor held her by the thighs and anchored her to the wall with his body.

"Why not? The twins are asleep and we have time. I'm definitely good to go and you're on fire" Taylor said with a smile as he kissed her again but Alicia pulled her lips away.

"No really we can't" Alicia told him, Taylor dropped his head on her shoulder.

"Why not?" he groaned he tried to find a scrap of patience as he wondered what excuses she was going to give him today. He was patient but a man could only be so patient when his wife was making salacious invitations and not following through.

"Because we are two incredibly fertile people and I'm not taking the chance of being knocked up again for at least another year if ever and I haven't had my shot and we don't have any forms other protection" Alicia said a little more bluntly than she had intended but she needed to make it clear she was up for anything but sex. Taylor lifted his head and looked at her.

"If ever? You don't want more kids?" he asked taking her blunt response to the extreme as he wasn't exactly able to think clearly as he was painfully aroused and pressed up to the woman he so desperately wanted to possess. She was throwing up a major stop sign. She frowned as she couldn't believe out of everything she said he picked up on her comment about kids.

"I don't know. I would like to enjoy having my body back for a few months before we even begin to discuss the idea of having more kids. Anyway aren't the twins enough?" she asked him as she felt the incredible urge to rip Taylor's clothes off and have her way with him faded slightly as she knew they were about to breah a topic of conversation they weren't on the same page about.

"They are for now" he said conceded.

"For now" she repeated. Alicia looked at him and she knew the moment for ripping one another's clothing off was gone even if his erection wasn't.

"Alicia, I want more kids. I've always wanted more with you" he told her as he caressed her thighs slowly as he held her eyes in his.

"How many are you talking about? Because I'm not giving birth to a platoon of Taylors" She told him taking what could've been a tender moment and stomping on it.

"I don't want a platoon, maybe one more" he said as he couldn't believe they were having a proper conversation in their current state. Alicia pursed her lips looking thoughtful for a moment as if they were having this conversation sitting at the dinner table not with her legs wrapped around his waist being pressed against the wall by him.

"One more I can handle but only if it's via invitro-fertilisation" She said like it was a negotiation.

"What? You want to be turkey basted?" Taylor asked her, Alicia chuckled at him.

"Charming analogy but yeah I don't trust you to impregnate me with one child the fun way" She told him with a mischievous smile. Taylor opened his mouth to say something when his comm. beeped in his pocket. Alicia dropped her head back hitting it against the wall as she had been hoping to continue their hot interlude just through other more pleasurable ways that didn't result in her getting knocked up.

"I have to get that" Taylor said as she slowly released her legs and lowered them to the floor. He pulled out his comm. unit but didn't move away from her as they looked at one another the sexual tension was thick enough to slice with a knife. "This is Taylor, Go ahead." He said as he ran his free hand up her arm and laying it to rest on the side of her neck. Alicia ran her hands up under his shirt lightly raking her fingers across his heated skin making him shiver in pleasure.

"_Sir we've have a break in at one of the power relay stations and it's acting up."_ Guzman said.

"Which relay station?" Taylor asked.

_"15, nothing looks out of place but considering the circumstances I thought you might want a look yourself"_ Guzman said.

"I'm on my way. ETA: 10 minutes. Taylor out" Taylor said as he pressed the end button and pocketed the comm. before he looked at Alicia.

"I guess it's lucky" she murmured.

"I wouldn't say so" Taylor told her.

"Continue later?" she asked him there was a hint of hope in her tone.

"I'd rather continue now but-"

"You got a power relay station on the west side of the colony to attend to" Alicia told him and she slipped out from between him and the wall. She turned her back and took a deep breath to quell her disappointment and frustration. For just a moment they had been on fire like old times, she hadn't realised how much she had missed it until she had it for the briefest of moments. Now she was hungry for more but knew she couldn't push it further as Taylor was on duty. Work always came first.

"Alicia?" Taylor asked, Alicia turned on her feet and smiled reassuringly.

"I'm fine, I am" she assured him.

"Alright"

"I'm going to go check on the girls and give you some cooling off space" Alicia said with a smile as she looked down at his pants that were straining from his arousal.

"I don't think it will help" Taylor said putting his hands on hips and looking down at his wayward member.

"Then think of something incredibly ugly" Alicia told him with a smile as one of the twins started acting up it was if the two were set to go off just when Taylor wanted to suggest something dirty and fun to do with Alicia.

* * *

"Oh wow what's cooking good looking?" Kate asked as she came into the house to find Malcolm in the kitchen cooking. Whatever he was cooking smelt delicious. "It's smells delicious" Kate added as she kicked off her flat shoes and walked over to Malcolm and they shared a quick kiss before he went back to chopping up some vegetables.

"Ah let's see I have miso glazed xiphatinus slowly baking in the oven and a vegetable broth with tofu and udon noodles. Rice is already steamed as I know you like having both noodles and soup." Malcolm said, Kate smiled as she liked how smug Malcolm looked about knowing all of her food preferences even if he was slightly disgusted by her odd miso cravings.

"Dessert?" Kate asked as if she were testing him.

"Mango and Peach tart in the fridge. All your favourites and a couple of mine" he said as he was quite fond of Mango and Peach tarts.

"I knew I married you for more than your good looks" Kate said as she stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle pressing her protruding stomach into his back slightly to get her arms around.

"Here I was thinking it's because I'm good in bed" Malcolm said as he continued chopping up vegetables.

"Sounds like the words to a song" Kate said.

"Really?" he asked in a tone that said that he didn't agree.

"I'll have to reintroduce to the Skyhooks. When will dinner be?" Kate asked.

"Ah not for another hour. So-" Malcolm stopped mid sentence as he could have sworn he felt something poke his back, he knew Kate's arms were around his middle "Kate" he said calmly as he didn't want to get too excited.

"Yes" Kate said as she had her head lying side on his back.

"Did our baby just kick me in the back?" he asked as he placed the knife he had been preparing the vegetables with on the counter and turned around to face her.

"Possibly" Kate offered with an odd smile as she had felt the foot push out against Malcolm. It was the first strong movement she had felt. She watched as Malcolm's face lit up in amazement and joy as smiled and placed his hands on her stomach.

"Isn't that amazing?" he asked in awe as he felt the baby pushed its little foot out where one of his hands was. He laughed in joy of the moment as it was amazing to feel the tiny little life kick out again.

"Yeah it is" Kate said softly as bit her bottom lip and half smiled watching his excitement. It made her heart melt as she felt his joy and enthusiasm at feeling their baby kick.

"I think the show is over" Malcolm said after a couple minutes pass as he hadn't felt any movements since the first couple of kicks. He looked up at her and saw her softened expression as she had been watching him. He saw all of her emotions written in her eyes and it was like something clicked in him. He just knew that he loved this woman, before he told himself he was going to love her as he only felt a strong physical attraction after they first met in the infirmary when he woke up from a coma for months he felt bad that she would tell him she loved him and yet he hadn't been able to return the token of affection as he didn't want to lie but now he could. He loved her. He moved his hands up her body and cupped her face and looked at her.

"I love you" He said when he pulled back from her lips momentarily. His forehead pressed to hers, Kate's eyes stung with hot tears as it was the first time he had actually uttered the words 'I love you' and meant it. Since the accident and the memory loss he hadn't said the words and she noticed them being unsaid and when she said she loved him he just kissed her instead of saying the words until now.

She didn't take it personally as she preferred he didn't lie to her. She told herself it was enough that he was just with her and trying but hearing the words fall from his lips made her world brighten. She smiled as tears ran down her face.

"I hope these are happy tears" Malcolm said as he used his thumbs to brush the tears off her cheeks.

"Yeah they are. I love you" Kate said before she pulled him into a mind searing kiss.

* * *

"You're home late" Alicia said when Taylor came through door. Taylor said he would be an hour late but had ended up being 3 hours overdue for dinner.

"Yes, one of the power distribution centres was broken into." Taylor said as he kicked off his boots and closed the door locking it before turning to see Alicia standing by the kitchen bench, her hair hung loose around her shoulders and she appeared to be wearing nothing but a thin silk wrapper. She looked beautiful.

"I know I was standing right next to you when you got the call. I assume since the power is still everything was fine?" Alicia asked.

"Yes. There wasn't any damage or anything missing or out of place. I have a couple of engineers scouring the whole room to make sure everything is where it should be. Also the cameras were broken so no ID on the culprit but we all know who it was." Taylor said as he moved into the kitchen keeping his distance from Alicia so he could stay focussed.

"That's frustrating" Alicia said Taylor made a noise akin to agreement as he took a moment to enjoy looking at her legs.

"So how was your evening?" Taylor asked looking up at her face.

"It was ok, Evan and the kids stayed for dinner and left about half an hour ago. The twins are down for the count" Alicia informed him.

"Anyway you look ready for bed" Taylor said as he wondered if she was completely naked under the wrapper or not.

"I am but I'm good for a cup of coffee and dessert. I saved a plate of food for you" Alicia said as she moved to the oven. She pulled it open and then pulled out the plate she had been keeping warm in the oven and placed it on the bench.

"Thanks I'm starving" Taylor said as he moved into the kitchen and placed a kiss on her lips before getting cutlery and carrying his food to the dining table.

"Coffee?" Alicia asked him.

"Please" Taylor said between bites as he wolfed down the food. A moment later, Alicia sat next to him and placed two cups of coffee on the table before them. "So what's for dessert?" Taylor asked.

"Me" Alicia said in a low husky tone, Taylor nearly choked on his dinner as he had not expected such an answer. He swallowed some of his coffee and turned to Alicia as she had been teasing him as much as he was her over the last few weeks but this was the first time she had been so forward and the actual chance of follow through. Then he figured what happened earlier today was just a fluke.

"Really? There going to be whipped cream and warm honey?" he asked her teasingly as he continued to eat his dinner. Alicia smiled and shook her head.

"No, there isn't enough time as we only have an hour in exactly-" she pulled out her comm unit from the pocket of her wrapper and looked at the time "In 5 minutes" she told him as she turned off her comm and placed it on the table before looking at him.

"What happens in 5 minutes?" He asked as he finished the last of his dinner and pushed the plate away from him.

"The cameras in the living room will be turned off. Only I and Guzman know about it and before you give a speech about it being on for our safety. We aren't the targets and there are soldiers guarding the house. I even double checked all the windows and door so will you just relax and enjoy yourself or do you want me to call Guzman?" she asked as she undid his shoulder holster and pulled it off him and placed it on the dining table.

"One hour" Taylor said as picked up his cup of coffee and moved to the lounge to stretch out and get comfortable. Alicia followed him to the lounge and stood in front of him.

"If you're not interested in finishing what we started earlier.." Alicia drawled she slowly opened her wrapper and allowed the flimsy material to slide off her revealing her in all her naked glory. Sure she wasn't back into her previous shape yet but the way Taylor was looking at her made her feel like she was a goddess.

"Oh no I'm interested, very interested" Taylor said as he allowed himself a few moments to drink in the sight of her naked before him. He was glad the back windows were frosted glass and the ones that weren't had the shades down as he never wanted to share the view before him with anyone else.

"Well here I am" Alicia told him enjoying this moment more than she should. She closed the space between them and sank one knee on either side of him straddling his lap.

"I feeling tad over dressed for this party" Taylor murmured as he slowly reached out to touch her with both hands. Her hair, her cheek and her shoulder, he ran his fingers lightly down her arms then over to her breasts as he kept his eyes locked with her. The way he looked at her made her feel impossibly sexy something she hadn't felt in a very long time.

"We can fix that problem" Alicia said as reached forward with her own hands and tugged on his black shirt. He reluctantly pulled his hands away from her body and broke eye contact as he pulled his shirt off tossing it to the side as Alicia unbuckled his belt and pulled it from his pants throwing it behind her. When they locked eyes again it was like what had been a slow simmer of heat between them combusted into a powerful need as he pulled her to him crushing their upper bodies together as he shifted forward on the lounge so she could wrap her legs around his waist and he then pulled her onto the lounge under. Alicia pulled the belt out from around his waist and unbuckled his pants and tried to push them down wanting him to be as naked as she was and have him possess. But struggled as melted in pleasure as her mind was completely switched off as she gave into her physical wants and needs enjoying the tactile feel and the pleasure of Taylor as his hands were everywhere, sweeping her body, touching, exploring, as he kissed and licked her, tasted her.

"I believe this is my dessert and I got an hour to enjoy it" Taylor told her in a husky yet amused voice as he was getting tangled in not only Alicia but his pants. He wondered for a moment where his finesse for stripping out of uniform quickly had gone but moved on as he got up shucked his pants quickly and returned his full attention to Alicia.

"Like what you see?" he asked as she her eyes were roving his body like she were a starving woman and he was the fine cut piece of steak. A slow and sexy smile spread across her lips as she gave a nod, he moved towards her with full intention of ravishing her when all the lights blinked out.

* * *

TBC! See you all very soon with more...


	53. Chapter 53

A/N: Thank you for all the amazing reviews :-D and Also please not all medical and pregnant baby stuff purely fiction! So please let it slide for the story's sake.. Cheers! and enjoy!

* * *

Kate woke up and looked at the clock on Malcolm's side of the bed. She carefully pried herself from Malcolm's arms and reached for her glass of water she kept on her bedside table. Only to find it was empty. In her groggy state she hadn't realised that the glass had been full when she went to sleep. So she got up from bed and walked into the kitchen. She had been filling up the glass of water when a chem. light lit up on the dining table. Kate's eyes flicked to the source and went wide. The glass overflowed with water onto her hand and into the sink.

There at the dining table in the glow of the chem. light Jane Caetano sat at the table with a sonic pistol turned to its highest setting pointed at Kate. Kate had to admit that she was oddly more disappointed than afraid even as the gun made a high pitched squeal as it powered up.

"I have to say I'm genuinely surprised, you didn't hear me come in" Caetano spoke in a low voice as Kate turned off the tap and placed glass carefully in the sink.

"I'm a heavy sleeper these days" Kate remarked as she mentally catalogued the weapons and which was the closest to her and how she could subtly activate her panic alarm.

"Also a creature of habit, every night at this time you always wake up and have a glass of get up and refill it and then go back to bed" Caetano told her. Kate tried to remain calm as adrenalin kicked and her body was screaming at her to run or to act but her mind told her the best course was to talk it out and try and punch her panic button on her tags.

"Press the alarm or whatever they gave you to alert them to my presence. Go ahead" Caetano mocked her as Kate had already reached to her neck but her hand stopped as she realised that Caetano was in the house sitting at her dining table. No way would the person watching the security feeds miss that which meant something was wrong. Very wrong. She looked to the oven and noted that it's time display was off and the standby light wasn't out.

"I assume you've taken care of all the soldiers on the perimeter and have suspended the security systems. So what's the point in pressing a useless button?" Kate asked her as she stayed behind the counter it was the only cover she would have if the woman pulled the trigger. She had only two things she had to do and that was survive and protect herself, unborn child and Malcolm who she could already hear stirring in the bedroom. Obviously Taylor's training hadn't included stealth as Kate could hear Malcolm move around and pull the sonic pistol from the bedside table drawer. Luckily Caetano wasn't as observant as Kate assumed her to be.

"I'm so glad you're calm and understanding" Caetano told her giving Kate a warm smile as she misconstrued Kate's deductions of the situation as acceptance.

"Calm, yes. Understanding? Far from it. Why don't you explain it to me without the gun pointed at me it's making me nervous" Kate suggested Caetano in a casual but cool tone. Caetano looked slightly off kilter by Kate's words.

"She isn't afraid, look at her she isn't afraid… How can someone so close to death be so accepting unless they know their penance is death" the man told Caetano as he stood behind Kate with his hands on the Redhead's shoulders. Caetano shook her head as she remember Kate's question.

"Is it true? What he said? that this is your penance?" Caetano asked Kate as she gestured to the man at Kate's shoulder. Kate looked to her shoulder and saw no one there. She kept her expression neutral as she just watched the woman talk to herself. Obviously she was in some kind of delusion or hallucinating, Kate didn't care which as all she cared about was getting out of the room. It was the first time she had wanted to leave a fight behind and let someone else take her place.

"No, I'm afraid. I'm just good at not showing it, my family wasn't big on displaying emotions. You know I thought you were alone in this but I guess I've made too many assumptions about you. Haven't I?" Kate asked feeding into the woman's delusions to keep her talking as she slowly inched towards the knife block, she didn't dare look to the bedroom door in fear of giving away Malcolm's presence.

"Tell me why are you going to kill me?" Kate asked her.

"Don't answer her, she is stalling." The soldier said appearing at Caetano's side.

"She has a right to know why" the meek woman said making Caetano look over her shoulder seeing the woman cower in the corner ringing her hands.

"Stop talking and execute her now or abort" the soldier said.

"No, don't abort-" the man with the knife said. He and the soldier started getting into an argument about whether to go or stay and Caetano looked between them and Kate, her head starting to hurt from all the noise and concentrating hard on keeping her hand steady with the gun.

"Shut up! Shut up!" Caetano shouted.

* * *

"The powers out" Taylor remarked as he pulled his pants back on in the dark. Their 'one hour' was going to have to be postponed as he had a bad feeling. A break in at power relay station on the west side and now a power outage.

"The backups should have kicked in already" Alicia commented as she knew as well as he that there was no reason for the power to be out. "Maybe we've blown a fuse" Alicia said as she picked her silk wrapper up off the floor. She knew as soon as she heard his fly close they would not be continuing their fun.

Taylor's comm. buzzed to life and he pulled it out of his pocket and answered. "Taylor, here go ahead"

_"Whole east side of the Colony and Command Centre has gone dark"_ Guzman said over the comm. Taylor moved to the kitchen and opened the slats of the front window to look outside to confirm what Guzman was telling. He tried to see the soldiers stationed outside his house but it was pitch black.

"Have all the soldiers on duty checked in?" Taylor asked. He couldn't hear anything amiss. The colony was quiet but no quieter than it normally was at the current hour.

_"They are right now, still waiting for 10 more posts to check in_" Guzman said. Taylor whistled a bird call out the window that he used with his soldiers when their comm. systems went down or they were OTG trying to remain inconspicuous. He waited for the call back but he heard nothing.

"Send extra soldiers my house now." Taylor ordered Guzman.

* * *

Kate had thought she was having a mental breakdown but the woman in front of her was making her feel like her worst mental day look like Olivia having a tantrum where one minute it was the end of the world and the next over it. Like it never happened to begin with. She kept edging closer to the knife block only pausing when Caetano looked at her.

"What are you doing?" Caetano asked her as her attention snapped back to Kate. It was at this time Malcolm made his appearance catching Caetano's attention and three things happened in mere seconds apart of one another.

The first was Caetano swung her sonic pistol in the direction of Malcolm who fired his sonic pistol first, his blast missed Caetano completely and hit the chem lamp. The second thing was Kate who pulled the second smallest knife from the board and threw it at Caetano. The knife imbedded itself into the shoulder of the arm Caetano was holding her weapon. The woman cried out in pain and her swung back firing her weapon in Kate's direction all in the space of mere seconds.

Kate ducked taking cover behind the counter just as the sonic blast passed over the bench and room went dark. The kitchen cabinets where her head had been exploded and Kate covered her head as broken glass and crockery rained down on her and the floor.

She heard the woman curse as she pulled the knife from her arm and knife drop to the floor and scatter. The sound of the Chem. light hit the floor and shattered as they all stopped as they room went dark.

"Kate, run!" Malcolm shouted, Kate cursed as Malcolm gave away his position and she knew he wouldn't hide. She acted quickly and ignored the broken glass imbedding itself into the skin of her feet and hands as she scrambled d through the broken glass and debris and got to her feet she closed the gap between her and Malcolm and tackled him to the ground, Malcolm rolled her so his back was facing the door in perfect timing as Caetano fired off another blast which hit the bedroom door and the force made the door explode and pushed Kate and Malcolm hard into side of the bed frame. Kate's shoulder hit the side of the bed frame hard and she blacked out before she felt the glass and wood pieces fly at them.

* * *

Alicia had changed into her pyjamas of a loose t-shirt and short shorts while Taylor geared up. They hadn't heard any sign of danger from Kate's house but he was preparing to storm the place when the extra soldiers showed up. Guzman was still attempting to get into contact with the last soldiers and organise off duty soldiers with Jim. The east side of the colony had gone dark and backup generators weren't kicking in there was a team of engineers attempting to get the power back on when they heard the sound of sonic weapons fire followed by glass shattering.

Alicia stood up out of reflex as she was used to jumping into action.

"Guzman, I have gun fire at Kate's place. Where are those soldiers?" Taylor demanded into his Comm.

_"Copy that_" Guzman said there was a brief pause before he spoke _"the soldiers should be there now"_ Guzman said, Taylor moved to the window and opened the frosted glass slats of the window to take a look outside and heard the footfalls of his soldiers coming.

"I'm going over to Kate's. You stay here with the kids, Kate's gun is still in the dresser drawer. Don't open this door for anyone but me" Taylor told Alicia as he pulled on his boots. He moved to her and gave her a passionate kiss. "We'll continue what we started later" he told her.

"You better" Alicia told him as she opened the door, he ran out and she closed the door and locked it before she headed to the bedroom.

Taylor stepped out onto his front porch to greet his men and organise them as quickly as possible.

* * *

A few moments earlier,

"What's the situation?" Mira asked Carter as they had run straight from their houses to Kate's when the power went out. They were running on gut instinct that the power outage had been planned by the killer as it knocked out the security measures and also disorientated Taylor's men as they would have to check in and reorganise and prioritise to a set of standard procedures that they were trained to use in the event of a black out.

"Well the killer is in there sitting in the dark. Talk about having a pair" Carter said as he passed his binoculars to Mira. Mira looked through the binoculars and saw the heat signature of who she assumed to be Kate walking into the kitchen with another heat signature sitting at the dining table. There was a third they assumed to be Malcolm as he was in the bedroom.

"Damnit" Mira said as the killer turned on a chem. light momentarily blinding Mira's night vision. She placed the binoculars down and blinked a few times allowing her eyes to readjust. "Options?" she asked him.

Before he could answer they heard a cry of pain followed by a sonic blast and the sound of exploding glass.

"Blow in the back door and surprise is on our side." Carter offered.

"I want her alive" Mira told him as she handed him her second sonic pistol. He gave a nod as he took the weapon and they got up and ran to the back door.

Mira fired the first shot and the back veranda door shattered, they came straight into the room as the chem. lights for the house kicked in. The woman who had killed her friends swung her gun and pointed it at them and stopped as she couldn't decide who to shoot first.

Mira caught sight of Malcolm and Kate's bodies lying on the floor of their bedroom as she could see Malcolm was covering Kate's body with his own. She couldn't see if they were dead but there was a pool of blood forming on the floor.

"You're Caetano's wife"

"Widow" Caetano corrected.

"Why are you killing my people? Your husband's friends and family?" Mira demanded.

"You're criminals, filth of society. You all deserved to die I was doing my civic duty" the woman spat venomously.

"Civic duty, interesting choice for your last words" Mira sneered at Caetano.

Caetano seemed to sense what was coming as she went to pull her trigger but Mira pulled her trigger first. The sonic blast was so strong it made the woman's head snap back with a sickly crunch before she slumped to the floor.

Mira and Carter both turned as they heard Kate moan in pain, they rushed to her and Malcolm. Malcolm had glass and wood debris sticking out of his back and flank but still breathing. They carefully pulled Malcolm off just as Taylor and his men came into house. Carter stashed his gun under the bed and Mira quickly placed her gun in Kate's hand.

"You shot Caetano" Mira told Kate who looked completely disorientated as she came to. They only hoped she was conscious enough to back their story up but it was going to be a hard sell as the redhead couldn't even hold the gun. Carter and Mira exchanged looks before they turned around and put on a good show.

"About time! We need medical assistance over here now!" Carter shouted over his shoulder at Taylor and his soldiers.

"Mira, Carter back away from them now" Taylor ordered in a deadly tone, Mira and Carter raised their hands slowly and backed away from Kate and Malcolm. Taylor saw the blood and Malcolm's prone form while Kate weakly held a sonic pistol looking completely disorientated as she was suffering the aftershock of a high energy sonic blast.

Taylor knelt down and felt for Malcolm's pulse as he felt a weak but steady pulse. He threw out orders to Guzman to get the medical teams into the house and to call the infirmary to prepare for in coming.

Kate's ears were ringing and the voices around her sounded distant as she couldn't focus her mind. Her mind was a boggled mess as she tried to recall what happened she saw Mira and Carter and the soldiers and knew she was safe and Malcolm had been right in front of her.

Her whole body sang with pain but she couldn't begin to tell where it hurt the most but she knew she had to find Malcolm. She saw the gun in her right hand and wondered how the hell it got there. It fell from her hand onto the floor with a thud not that she had meant to drop it but her hand refused to grip the gun. She pushed through the pain and tried to sit up but she didn't release her hand was slick with blood slipped. Luckily someone caught her before she thudded on the floor and then she realised it was Taylor.

"Nice catch" Kate slurred Taylor gave a pained smile as he knew the woman should not be in any shape to be making jokes.

"You're ok, don't move" Taylor told Kate, the medics were civilians and as such wouldn't touch a patient who was armed. Luckily Kate had dropped the gun on her without being asked but it was useless as Taylor knew a blast that turned a door into scrap was enough to scramble anyone's brains for a few hours. He was amazed she was even conscious.

Jim had picked up the gun and moved out of the way as Kate vainly tried to sit up but her hand slipped in the blood luckily Taylor caught her and she looked up at the man focussing on him.

"Where's Malcolm?" Kate asked Taylor as he carefully cradled her upper body. He could feel her blood on his arms and her right arm hung loose. He couldn't help but notice her hands were bloody and were minced with glass in them.

"Being taken to the infirmary, you're next but the medics need to stabilise you" Taylor said as Kate's left hand grappled the front of his shirt as she was trying to hold onto him as he was the only stable thing in her world.

"I think I might be sick" she told him in a droll tone as tears ran down her face.

"I won't be offended if you do" Taylor told her.

"Commander, we need you to step back" the medic said softly.

"No, don't-" Kate didn't finish the sentence as her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she passed out.

"Kate? Kate?" he said trying to wake her but it didn't work. He felt for her pulse and felt minor relief as it was strong and steady.

"Commander" the medic pressed. Taylor lowered Kate's upper body and stepped back. He watched as the medics stepped forward and got to work on Kate conferring over the comm. before they put her on a stretcher and rushed her out of the house.

Taylor turned to Mira and Carter who were currently standing to the side of the room looking right at home in the chaos. Somehow he couldn't let go of how convenient it was to find two ex-sixers at the scene of a crime. It irked him how they beat him to the scene and how he hadn't acted fast enough for Kate and Malcolm.

"Tell me why you're here" he demanded of them. Mira folded her arms and lifted her chin in slight defiance and glared at him as it apparent old habits died hard. Even if the two were on better terms it was a delicate relationship. One only Kate was able to keep from falling apart as Mira and Taylor both had the tendency to be obstinate.

"We came to save Kate. I knew as soon as the lights went out the killer would use the dark to her advantage and storm the guards and the house. Simple deduction" Mira told him in a matter of factorial manner.

"You came unarmed?" Taylor asked them. Mira and Carter both gave a tilt of the head as if to say 'didn't think about it'.

"Three against one seemed like good odds to me and hey there's more than one way to kill a person. Many of them not involving a gun" Carter answered contrarily as he watched Jim move around the body and looking around the room. He really hoped Jim wasn't as switched on as he led people to believe.

"What happened when you arrived?" Taylor asked as he and Guzman were doing their own 'cop' impressions.

"The woman was dead, Kate holding the gun put two and two together" Mira said, Taylor and Guzman exchanged looks like they didn't believe the two but couldn't just lock them up on a suspicion.

"Right" Taylor said not convinced by the answer or Mira and Carter's reasons for being there but then the two weren't going to say much as they didn't want to incriminate themselves.

"Look we aren't going anywhere so if you want to lynch us tomorrow by all means. I don't know about Mira but I would like to go home and get a solid 5 hours before I get to work on making the glass to replace all the broken windows and doors in this place" Carter told them.

"You'll be escorted home and Jim will be by tomorrow to take your statements" Taylor told them. Carter and Mira both inclined their heads as if to say 'goodbye' and what Taylor said was agreeable with them. Taylor motioned to a couple of soldiers and geve them their orders and watched Carter and Mira leave.

"They are lying" Guzman said in a low voice to Taylor.

"Let's give them the benefit of the doubt" Taylor said before they turned and moved to Jim who was had been taking photos of room and the body for the records. "Shannon" he said catching the man's attention.

"It's Mrs Jane Caetano. She's a widow with one son, Kate and I met her once she appeared to be completely sane actually the last person I'd pick to do this. It doesn't feel right" Jim told them.

"She fits the description of the woman Kate described. She was married to a sixer but didn't know he was one until the sixers separated from the colony. Mira brought his body back for burial" Guzman said giving back history on the dead woman lying on the floor.

"Really?" Jim asked surprised Mira would risk exposure like that to deliver the remains of a body to the colony.

"Well she left the body on the outskirts of the field before the gates and disappeared. We did the right thing by the remains. We'll have to figure out an arrangement for her boy now he's an orphan" Taylor said as he looked at the angle the woman was lying with a broken neck and looked to where Kate had been lying with the gun.

"Something wrong Shannon?" Guzman asked Jim who seemed to be having the same thoughts as Taylor that something wasn't adding up with the scenario.

"I'm sure it's nothing" Jim remarked with a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. He walked over to roughly where Kate had been lying avoiding the blood on the floor. He pointed his hand in a gun shape to the body before dropping his hand and gave a shrug before walking back to them. Taylor didn't need to do a recreation to know it was impossible for Kate to have shot the woman but he didn't want to go through the mess of pinning murder on Carter or Mira as they saved Kate. He'd rather scratch it off as self defence and get on with life.

"It looks like it was self defence" Taylor told Jim in a firm tone that translated to 'drop it'.

"I don't agree" Shannon said in a low voice as he didn't want to create a scene in front of Taylor's soldiers. He preferred they share their differences behind closed doors to save face.

"I'm not surprised. Guzman, I want the body taken to the morgue and the broken windows boarded up. Shannon you have the place until tomorrow 10am then I'm handing it over Carter and his partner for clean up and repair. I'll be in the infirmary" Taylor said Guzman gave a nod and Taylor left the house knowing Jim would follow him.

"That's not enough time" Jim said as he had followed Taylor out of the house just as the older man predicted.

"It's plain to see Kate killed the woman in self defence." Taylor said as he turned to face Jim.

"So you've decided to pretend you didn't see what I did? Falsify evidence-" Jim started in a daring tone.

"Have I asked that of you?" Taylor asked Jim.

"You keep saying it's self defence when it obviously isn't" Jim said.

"It looks like it to me. If you don't believe so then make your case" Taylor said with a shrug.

"You saw the body it was laying the wrong way for Kate to have shot her and then there is the fact that Kate was barely coherent enough to hold the gun let alone shoot it" Jim said.

"So what are you saying?"

"Mira and Carter got to Caetano before you did and killed her then pinned on Kate. they know if it's her it's self defence" Jim stated.

"Or Mira and Carter are telling the truth about Kate shooting Caetano, you can't tell by looking at the direction a body is lying and predict what angle she was shot at without a proper autopsy" Taylor said.

"My gut-"

"Oh your infamous gut. Do me a favour and take an antacid Shannon. We caught a break, you shouldn't be making accusations when you haven't got a leg to stand on. Finish your prelims and clear the house, tomorrow we will talk with Mira and Carter. If Kate and Malcolm are able to talk we'll get their side of the story" Taylor told him.

"And if it doesn't match up?" Jim asked.

"We'll address that if it happens" Taylor said as it amazed him how Jim just picked and chose when the rules applied to him and the others in the colony.

"Aren't you curious why Mira and Carter were there and how did they get there before you?" Jim asked Taylor.

"Only by seconds, it's not a race and I'm not curious as Mira and Carter see Kate as one of them. I'm sure they have been keeping a close eye on her themselves ever since the last threat. Now you should go clear the house and collect evidence" Taylor told him.


	54. Chapter 54

An hour later, Alicia sat on the lounge and tapped her foot nervously as she and Taylor were waiting for news about Kate. Malcolm had been taken to surgery and the Doctors and staff were busy treating their patients to give any more details than that. Kate was also still being treated so they hadn't heard anything. So they were waiting for confirmation she and Malcolm would be fine.

Taylor had come home covered in blood. He had gone to take a quick shower and changed his clothes before he even answered the million questions Alicia had. Taylor sat down beside her on the lounge and placed a hand on her knee to stop the movement.

"I thought I broke you of this habit" Taylor commented lightly as Alicia in her younger days used to nervously tap her leg or fingers something he had broke her of as it was a great way of giving away one's position in the field.

"It shouldn't take this long for simple concussion and minor injuries. You're not telling me something. What is it?" Alicia demanded.

"It's only been 10 minutes" Taylor told her. He had planned to go straight to the infirmary after a shower but then he and Alicia had gotten into a slight dispute over who would go as they both couldn't leave the twins on their own. One of them had to remain behind and Taylor felt that neither would be happy as Taylor didn't want Alicia out of his sight. Even if the Killer was caught he wanted her and the twins right where he could see them. So he made the decision no one would go until morning and called the infirmary making it know he wanted updates on their condition.

"You're right which is why I really want to go to the infirmary" Alicia said taking a deep breath as she was truly impatient of waiting around for news.

"I know but we'll just be in the way. They'll call us when they have news" Taylor assured her.

"Tell how much blood there was?"

"not enough for two people to be critical. Malcolm had debris in his back so I say most of it is his blood. Kate had a head wound and I think a broken shoulder or upper arm. She couldn't move it, glass in her hands and feet" Taylor told her.

"So Mira and Carter killed Caetano or you think she is a plant? I need to know is this over?" Alicia asked.

"We don't know for sure but I doubt Mira and Carter would kill their own people. They have too much to lose" Taylor said he paused for a moment. "Well Mira has too much to lose"

"Carter wouldn't hurt Kate" Alicia said as she crawled into Taylor's lap, he wrapped his arms around her holding her close.

"I'm sure we'll have more answers in the morning when we search her house and the doc does an autopsy" Taylor said.

"What are you going to do about her kid?"

"I don't know, hopefully someone will take him in" Taylor said as he felt for the boy to not only lose his father but now his mother who would be known as a murderer no matter how hard he tried to keep it under wraps.

"Poor kid"

"Yeah" Taylor said softly.

* * *

"I said no drugs" Kate told Dr Hastings in a harsh tone as she hated repeating herself. She also didn't appreciate Jim and Nurse Ogawa restraining her so Dr Hastings could inject her. Apparently Dr Hastings didn't appreciate her nearly strangling him with her IV line and spreading blood all over the floor when he tried to give her the first round of medication hence why she was being held down by Jim and Ogawa. She was actually surprised at how strong the small woman was.

"I gave you 30 minutes to calm down on your own but your blood pressure is too high and if it doesn't lower soon your baby will go into distress. This is now non negotiable" Dr Hasting told Kate as he injected Kate's arm with cocktail mix of pain killers and sedatives. It was barely enough to knock out a kid but since Kate was more sensitive to 22nd century medicine it would hopefully be enough to numb the pain and calm Kate down.

"Well if you and Nurse Ratched would stop digging for gold and someone told me if my Husband was still alive. Or how about explain to me why I'm in the private birthing room I might be able to calm down" Kate shot back at him as she shot Dr Hastings a dark look. She had woken up to find him standing over her bed alone with a syringe in hand. Of course she had freaked out and attacked him and then promptly passed out only to wake up the second time to find Dr Hastings talking about her baby with Jim like she were an afternoon medical show.

Jim had pointed out it was a boy which Dr Hastings concurred. She had tried to move but found her ankles and left hand restrained to the bed while her right arm and hand were strapped to her chest. Dr Hastings told her if she didn't calm down he would use medical intervention. She scoffed that he was pansy ass American and would kick his ass if he tried to drug her. He compromised and said half an hour calmly. So there she was lying back on the bed on the right side of the double bed with the back slightly elevated with drugs she didn't want swimming through her viens. At least she had scared him when she snapped the left wrist restraint but Jim caught her hand before she could do any damage to the doctor.

Now the drugs were in, Kate gave up the fight as there was no point in wasting her energy. She had to admit the drugs did ease all the aches and the massive headache but it wasn't helping her anger at no one listening to her.

"Ok you're in the private suite because it's the best place for us to treat you and your child. We didn't know the true extent of your injuries and figured it was safer to err on the side of caution" Dr Hastings told her as he hung up fresh bags of blood and IV fluids.

"Good because I have no desire to give birth to this kid yet or show my lady bits to the likes of you since you completely destroyed the surprise by turning my scan into an episode of happy healthy Harold." Kate told him dryly as he and Jim exchanged looks Kate translated as guilt.

"I have no clue who this Harold man is" Hastings said.

"He is a giraffe" Kate informed him, she had meant to explain further but couldn't be bothered "Look it up in your Funk and Wagnells" she told him rudely.

"Ok, either way I apologise, I didn't know you were keeping the sex of the child a surprise. If I had known I would never have let it slip. Though you should really be the one apologising to me for trying to kill me" Hastings told her.

"and I don't even know your first name to really complain about you" Kate grumbled as Hastings smiled at her comment as he had already seen all her lady bits when he and Nurse Ogawa were treating her while she was unconscious and getting her into fresh scrubs but he wasn't about to tell her that.

"It's Damien" he told her.

"Well Damien. Congratulations, I'm not naming my kid after you or you" Kate told Jim and Hastings.

"I was thinking James Nathaniel Wallace has a nice ring to it" Jim said as he was sitting on the bed beside her keeping her company.

"No it doesn't. You should be advocating for me not helping the drug peddler juice me up" Kate griped.

"You really need to relax" Jim told her.

"How about you go fu-"

"Whoa my innocent ears ow! ow!" Jim said he had been about to cover them when Kate grabbed his right ear and pinched it hard.  
He wondered where she got the inhuman strength with all of her injuries.

"Innocent ears my ass. You want me to relax? Go find out if I'm a widow" Kate told him.

"Kate, he's in surgery and we won't know anything until they are finished. Now please let go of the Sheriff's ear" Hastings said in a nice manner.  
Kate released Jim's ear but still looked at him darkly as she was still in a foul mood and couldn't shake it. The only joy she had was that the baby was rolling around in her still very much alive and in good health despite Kate being an mess.

"Geez I feel for that kid. You're going to be one mean mumma" Jim told her as he rubbed his sore ear. It was if Jim and the others in the room could sense Kate's anger as Hastings spoke up with more reassuring news.

"Kate, if they have news they'll come and tell us and anyway they'll most probably bring him in here for recovery." Hastings told her as he pulled up a stool and sat down at her bed side be pulled over a tray table with medical utensils that he was going to use. He pulled on fresh surgical gloves and motioned for her left hand.

"So how bad were his injuries?" Kate asked Hastings as she watched him removed the bandage and inspected the wound before getting to work.

"I don't know my priority is you but I'm sure he will survive. Trust me he'll recover faster than you as well" Hastings said not looking up from his work.

"Why?" Kate asked wincing as he pulled glass from her hand. It wasn't painful but it was unpleasant to watch.

"Because he's not pregnant and they can accelerate his healing with medicines you can't have-"

"Because I'm knocked up. I'm getting the idea that medical science hasn't progressed for pregnant women in the last 100 or so years except now you can just inject them with whatever you like without their consent" Kate said. Hastings remained silent and Kate rolled her eyes.

"Ok why am I so special?" she asked him dryly.

"Because when we sprayed the soles of your feet with the Derma spray your BP and heart beat skyrocketed. Not good for you or the baby." he told her.

"Stupid hypersensitivity. I can vouch that my baby and I can survive a little high blood pressure" Kate told him.

"It's true, Kate can't be killed by conventional means and the kid is half of her" Jim said.

"Nice, so I join the ranks of Keith Richards now?" Kate asked Jim dryly as he decided to finally help her.

"Who?" Jim asked looking at her blankly.

"Never mind" Kate grumbled as she couldn't be bothered to explain.

"The point I was going to make is that you need to rest and while you're resting I'll also review your medical records and confer with Dr Shannon as she is your main physician" He told her as he started pulling glass out of her hand.

"Right, I can't be bothered arguing" Kate said as she sunk down on the bed slightly as her body was telling her to go to sleep even the baby had gotten the message as he was slowing his movements down. She felt uncomfortable knowing the drugs were sifting through her to the baby.

"Kate" Jim said as he saw Kate's eyes close and figured since the sedative was finally working she would be more amendable to talking.

"Mmm?" she said opening her eyes and looking at him sluggishly.

"We need to discuss what happened tonight" Jim told her.

"Jim it's after midnight. I wake up in agony, you two talking about my baby like it's an educational program and you both just saying the sex of my child out loud spoiling the whole surprise. Malcolm is in surgery and no one will give me the slightest indication if it's going well or how bad he was injured. Then you wait until I'm doped on pain killers to ask me about what happened?" Kate asked she shook her head. "No, I'm not answering any of your questions, not tonight or tomorrow" she told him.

"Kate"

"Jim"

"I need to know-"

"Why is so important that it has to be discussed now?" Kate asked him.

"It's not I just figured you'd want to discuss it" Jim said.

"Go home Jim" Kate told him.

"No, someone's gotta keep you out of trouble" Jim told her.

"Then give me your comm. I want to talk with Alicia" Kate told him.

"Will you be a pleasant human being if I let you talk with Alicia?" Jim asked as he pulled out his comm and held it just out of her reach.

* * *

"Taylor out" Taylor said as he pressed the end button on the Comm. device and placed it on the coffee table. He looked to Alicia who gave a sigh of relief as she leaned on her head on his shoulder. Jim had finally called in to tell them the updates on Kate and Malcolm. Both were going to be ok even if Kate was being a grump about a minor incident where he told him he unknowingly told Kate the sex of her baby. He then informed them that Kate and Malcolm were having a boy and he was not going to be named 'James', 'Damien' or 'Nathaniel'.

Something that made Alicia laugh as Taylor didn't understand why his name was crossed off the list of potential names until Kate took the comm. from Jim and spoke to them for a bit. They could tell she was stoned on meds as she was slurring her words and sounded half asleep while she explained her reasons. One of them being that every Tom, Dick and Harry named their kids after Taylor and she was not going to be one of them.

It had been reassuring to hear Kate's voice and that she was going to be fine. She did grumble about the lack of news about Malcolm which led to Taylor prompting Jim to find out for her when apparently they brought the man. He had had minor surgery for internal bleeding and to remove debris from his back but other than that he was going to live.

It was unorthodox to put two recovering patients into the same bed but then they were married and it was a spacious double bed and neither patient were critical.

Jim took the comm. from Kate who warned everyone who was listening if they told Malcolm the sex of her child she would kick them in the baby maker which earned a few laughs. Jim of course took his comm. unit away from Kate and left the room where he informed Taylor that he was finished with the house and told him of his plans to tomorrow to take Mira and Carter's statements while Elisabeth performed an autopsy on Caetano's remains. They spoke for a few more moments before Jim ended the call to go home and to bed.

"Well all that worry for nothing" Taylor told her.

"Really? You come home covered in blood and I'm supposed to remain blasé and relaxed" Alicia told him.

"No but everything is ok" he told her.

"Yes it is, Kate is pretty pissed about learning the baby's sex"

"She was just deflecting"

"Right"

"I think it's time for bed" he said, she quirked an eyebrow wondering if he meant to sleep or to bed to engage in some amorous activities but before he could even say a word one of the twins started making huffy noises the precursor to a cry.

"It's that time again" Alicia said with a groan as she got off the lounge and went to the crib. She lifted Ava out of the crib and checked the twins. She lifted Ava out of the crib and made a face. "Someone did a nasty" she stated as she carried baby girl into the nursery to change her. Taylor chuckled as he went around the house out of habit and double checked all the locks. He stopped by the nursery and watched Alicia talking animatedly to Ava about how she was a smelly girl and blowing raspberries on the girl's stomach.

"You're just going to wake her up" Taylor said as Alicia redressed Ava and wrapped her up her tiny swaddle.

"Ye of little faith" Alicia said mockingly as she lifted Ava into her arms and rocked Ava softly. He looked at her savouring these moments as he really loved her and the softer maternal side of her he had never seen until the twins had come into their world. It made his heart swell at how near perfect his life was just in that moment.

* * *

Malcolm woke up and felt incredibly woozy and the room spin as he lifted his head and found himself in dimly lit private room off from the infirmary. The exact same room Taylor and Alicia had been staying in when Alicia had the twins early. He panicked as he looked around assuming the worst fate for their child why else would they put in the room.

He didn't have to look far as he turned his head right and found Kate fast asleep with her face turned towards him. He looked her over noting the bruises and the cuts and scrapes left unhealed. The palms of her hands bandaged up. He lifted his head ignoring the dull ache as he saw her right arm was braced to her chest and her forearm tucked under her breasts. He felt slightly relieved as she still had the bump and was breathing slow and steady breaths.

He tried to turn onto his side to get closer to her but didn't get far before his whole torso burned with pain. He stifled a groan as he lifted his right hand up slowly and touched Kate's left hand that was up by her shoulder. He winced as he saw what looked like a burn from strap and wondered what he missed while unconcious.

He gently touched her hand and her fingers instinctually closed and opened as he intertwined their fingers. She made a small noise and sighed as she woke up and opened her eyes slowly to look at him.

"Hey" she said in a soft voice as she was still half asleep.

"Hey, how are you?" he asked her in a low voice.

"Alive, how are you feeling?" she asked closing her eyes, he knew she wasn't falling asleep as her breathing was shallow and measured. Obviously he wasn't the only one in pain.

"I've had better days, the baby?" he asked, Kate moved his hand down to her stomach. He gently spread his fingers across her stomach and smiled as he liked feeling her rounded stomach. It was something positively male and possessive in knowing she was pregnant and it was his child. It was funny how a few years ago the idea of kids and pregnancy repulsed him but right now it was perfect and he couldn't wait.

"He's fine. I don't know if you'll feel anything but he's moving" She murmured as she moved his hand down low until he felt the faintest brush of movement. He smiled as he felt the baby move in her it reassured him and how very much alive the three of them were. He wished he could feel more but knew the last thing Kate needed with whatever injuries she had was a kicking baby.

"He? You told me you didn't want to give our child a gender" Malcolm told her.

"Except that I know we're having a boy" Kate said opening her eyes and watching him.

"I thought it was supposed to be a surprised" he said confused. Kate had worked very hard on keeping it a secret and even Elisabeth had not kept a record of it so he couldn't even cheat.

"It was but Dr Hastings accidently let slip when he was doing the scans. I was really angry at the time. But now I'm happy because you're here and you remember me"

"I don't think I could forget you a second time" he said with a smile.

"I also wanted to tell you because you said if one of us accidently found out we'd share" she said she bit her bottom lip and smiled excitedly at him.

"A boy" He said a slow smile spreading across his lips.

"Uhuh" Kate said as she could see the love and pride swelling in Malcolm.

"We're having a boy" he said as he rubbed her stomach slowly.

"Yeah a very lively and healthy boy" She murmured with a lazy smile on her face enjoying the fact that the baby was calming down instead of revving up in his movements as Malcolm moved his hand over her stomach in a soothing manner.

"I really want to kiss you senselessly right now"

"What's stopping you?" Kate asked him her eyes lighting up. A soft beep sounded and Kate made a face.

"What is it?"

"They have me on an automedicating machine. Dr Hastings doesn't like me"

"Why?"

"I may have accidently tried to strangle him with my IV lines"

"Kate?!"

"He was standing over my bed in the dark with a syringe. I freaked anyway he says it's a light sedative to keep me and the baby calm. I said no drugs apparently my wishes don't count for anything" she said rolling her eyes.

"They do count." he assured her.

"I don't want to have a drug baby" Kate said with pout, Malcolm smiled reassuringly at her.

"It won't be a drug baby" he told her as he moved his hand to her jaw and ran his thumb over her lips softly trying to wipe the pout away.

"I also don't like the drugs they make get stupid and gooey" she said as she tried to nip his thumb but missed as he moved it away and moved his hand back to holding hers.

"I'm sure I'll be entertained" he told her.

"So where's my kiss? I did save your life" Kate told him.

"I saved you first" he said as he knew the drugs were kicking in for her as she slurred the last couple of words.

"Well I'm pregnant with a bummed shoulder. what's your excuse?" She asked him, the door opened slowly and they looked to see Elisabeth give them a warm smile.

"Good morning" she said as she came into the room.

"What's the time?"

"About 8am" Elisabeth told Malcolm as she slowly raised the blinds to allow the morning light to peer through into the room. "How are you feeling? any pains or complaints?" she asked.

"I'm drugged" Kate said.

"Just a light sedative it won't harm you or the baby and it will help you with the pain" Elisabeth assured Kate as she rose the back of the bed for Kate so she was sitting up. Malcolm didn't make a peep until Kate was checked over and Elisabeth looked over Kate's medical file with a smile that indicated everything was ok.

"Ok, you should be right for time being. Just keep relaxing"

"I'm relaxed" Kate griped.

"Of course. Malcolm, how are you?" Elisabeth asked.

"I could use something for the pain." he said, Elisabeth nodded as she ran some scans and told him of his injuries. How he had four broken ribs and a punctured lung that had required surgery but everything was looking good. "Why haven't Kate's wounds been healed?" Malcolm asked.

"The dermaspray was making her heart rate and blood pressure sky rocket. We didn't want to put the baby into distress. So it's decided that we'll give them both a rest and just let her heal naturally for the moment" Elisabeth explained.

"Hence the light sedatives" Kate slurred.

"She barely has enough to knock out a kid. I've prescribed a higher dosage for normal pregnant women and there was no danger" Elisabeth told Malcolm who was watching Kate with a mixture of concern and amusement. He gave a smile appreciating Elisabeth's candor.

"I'm not normal" Kate said in an accepting manner.

"Well you are from a different century where you are not a habitual drug user. You will be more sensitive to medicine" Elisabeth said as she wrote some notes on the plex charts. "I'll organise for some breakfast that should lift your spirits" Elisabeth said.

"Thank you" Malcolm said, Elisabeth left the room and Malcolm gave a sigh as the painkillers she had given him finally kicked in. Kate was staring dazed at nothing in particular. He reached out and touched her arm gently tracing up to her neck, she turned her face and gave a sigh as she leant her face into his hand. "Where are you in that head of yours?" he asked.


	55. Chapter 55

"So you think we could continue what we started last night today?" Taylor asked as he pressed his forehead to Alicia's they had been in a serious lip lock while they were supposed to have been doing to dishes. Taylor had Alicia pressed up against the sink, devouring her with yet another passionate kiss. It was definitely a great way to start the morning. In fact they had had and pretty heated make out session in the bedroom before the twins woke up interrupting their moment demanding their attention. So they reluctantly got up and tended the girls needs before having breakfast themselves which lead to where they were now.

"Definitely after the cameras are removed" Alicia said as she nipped his lips. Her hands were in the back pockets of Taylor's BDU's pants holding him close and having a good feel. It had been a long while since they had been like this just enjoying the heat and the intimacy but both knew it wouldn't last long as Taylor had to to work.

"I'll have the cameras removed from the house within the hour" he said before he kissed her deeply.

"So there'll be no guards on the house" Alicia asked a little breathless as Taylor broke the kiss and moved his lips along her jawline to her neck.

"No more guards or cameras our space is ours again" he said though his voice was muffled against her neck.

"Good, now your should go as you need to talk with Malcolm and Kate before I get there with the twins" Alicia said reluctantly pushing Taylor away. She gave him a quick kiss before she wiggled out of his grasp and smacked him on the ass.

"I'll get you for that" he told her.

"Counting on it" Alicia told him as she sauntered to the bedroom knowing full well Taylor was watching her.

* * *

"I'm injured more than you" Malcolm teased Kate as they were sitting up in their bed eating breakfast. He was playing a game of 'one up' with Kate as it was better than having her depressed, angry or horny as he couldn't really help her with any of those his usual remedy was a good bout of sex and holding her but with broken ribs and recently repaired lung that made it a bit difficult to all of those things with there being a lot of pain on both their ends as Kate was bucket of injuries herself.

"No you aren't." Kate said in a teasing manner looking to him as he was reclining back in the bed with the back slightly elevated.

"I have four cracked ribs and a punctured lung" he told her as he ran a hand gently up and down her back as she sat up to her table with a straight back.

"I have a proximal humerus fracture and 3 fractured rib. Let's not forget my hands" she said showing the bandaged hands he caught her left hand and placed a gentle kiss on her inner wrist before letting her have it back to continue eating breakfast.

"I had surgery" he told her.

"I have more stitches than you. Just face it we are even stevens on this one" Kate told him before she ate a piece of pineapple.

"But I want to win" he said with a pout.

"Well you shouldn't have shot a lamp" she told him in a matter of factorial manner.

"I was aiming for the lamp" he told her hoping she would buy but she shot him a look that said otherwise.

"Really?" she asked him with a sceptical tone.

"No" Malcolm admitted, Kate smiled at him and giggled. He never thought he hear her giggle but she was giggling like a school girl at him. He had to admit it was adorable.

"You going to eat your fruit salad?" Kate asked after she finished her little giggle.

"Go ahead" he told her as he switched her empty bowl for his. He didn't feel any pain but he was feeling slightly nauseated by meds so he ate some toast and drank some tea but left the fruit salad and the bacon and eggs as it turned his stomach. Kate on the other hand scoffed her breakfast down like she was a starved woman. He just hoped she kept down.

"Cheers, you feeling ok?" she asked him.

"Hmm yes, I'm just wondering where you find your appetite." he said watching her eat. He was glad she was eating and looking happy.

"Pregnant and I've been trained to eat even when I'm not hungry" she told him in a tone that made it seem like she was trained by the military to stomach food while feeling heavily nauseated.

"Really?" He asked her, she smiled and shook her head.

"No but I know if I don't eat enough food now I'll feel worse for it later. You should eat more" she told him as she ate something that looked like a cherry but actually tasted like a passionfruit.

"Yes, because I'm positively wasting away" he said in a mocking tone he smiled so she wouldn't be offended.

"Here eat the rock melon" She said as she stuck a piece with her fork and held it out to him.

"Why?" he asked.

"Cause I don't like it or I might be allergic to it. I can't remember. Now eat" she ordered him.

"You never told me that. How allergic?" he asked as he hadn't missed her pushing her rockmelon from her fruit salad into his bowl earlier but then he figured she didn't feel like having it because some pregnancy food repulsion as Kate ate pretty much everything and anything put in front of her without complaint.

"I don't know I haven't eaten it in years and we don't buy it all the time. Don't make a big deal of it" Kate said as he ate the piece of fruit from her fork watching her. "And don't look at me like that" she told him.

"How am I looking at you?" he asked as he had been looking at her normally. Kate placed her fork down caressed her fingers slowly up his arm.

"In a way that is making me hungry for something neither of us are in any condition to satisfy or do without raising alarms" she told him, he watched as her eyes darkened with desire. They were somehow back to his wife being amorous with the most perfuntory of looks. He wasn't sure if it found it more amusing or frustrating.

Malcolm chuckled and was about to say something but didn't have the chance as the door to the room opened and Taylor and Jim came into the room. They both looked sombre for the early hour. If one called 9am early.

"Commander Taylor, Jim" Malcolm said in greeting to them. The men nodded and Jim pulled a seat and sat down while Taylor remained standing. He had closed the door and was leaning against the wall looking at them.

"Malcolm, Kate how are you two doing?" Taylor asked giving a brief smile. They had had a short chat with Mira and Carter who provided the same story but with their own personal spins and point of view. It was a little too rehearsed but then they were both ex-felons they knew how the system worked, Jim wasn't pleased as he wanted to push them for more details but Taylor wanted it wrapped up quickly and forgotten about. He already had feelers out on who would take the boy who was left behind and hoped someone would step forward by the end of the day.

He looked at Kate and Malcolm glad to see they were in good spirits, he had expected Kate to be a little morose but by the way she was looking at Malcolm he could tell she had something else in mind. He was amazed that Kate could even get into the mood with all of her injuries but obviously pain meds and hormones were working in her favour as she wore a look he'd seen Alicia wear many times. He hoped that Kate would control herself while he and Jim were in the room.

"A little messed up but we're ok" Kate said looking at Malcolm and biting her bottom lip. He gently nudged her and shook his head at her hoping she would behave herself. She moved her hand down his forearm in a slow manner until he caught her hand and interlaced her fingers with his. He didn't want Kate's only functioning hand to wander in front of Taylor and Jim. Some pleasures he liked to keep private.

"Speak for yourself. I had a nice track record of no broken bones until last night" Malcolm told her.

"Whingy Pom" Kate said.

"Apathetic Convict" Malcolm retorted, Kate burst out laughing at the name and immediately groaned. Malcolm's face was immediately filled with guilt and concern but she made a face and shook her head as she fell back onto her pillows. Taylor winced as he knew falling back like that would still hurt even with pain killers.

"I'm fine" KAte said Malcolm before she looked at Jim and Taylor. "So what brings you two here?" Kate asked them.

"We wanted to talk about last night" Jim said as he pulled out his hand plex to record the conversation.

"But if you're not up for it then we'll just call this a social visit. They have you on any meds Kate?" Taylor asked Kate as he looked at the set up on her side of the bed.

"Light sedatives but I don't believe it as she is far from relaxed" Malcolm drawled in an amused tone as he looked at Kate who was still smiling at him.

"22nd century drugs do a real number on me. One minute I'm up and the next I'm asleep. I don't want to know what they do to the development of our kid which has half of my ancient genetics" Kate said.

"Ancient?" Malcolm asked.

"You know what I mean. I'd rather suffer a little pain than dope myself up" Kate said.

"I don't like you being in pain-" Malcolm started.

"I've had worse" she told Malcolm cutting him off.

"You're taking the equivalent of what an adult ingest would for a minor headache. It's perfectly safe, Elisabeth and Damien said so" Malcolm told her.

"Yeah but it makes me so unbalanced" Kate grumbled. Jim coughed to cover up a laugh but it hadn't gone unnoticed as Kate looked at him with raised eyebrows as if questioning what was so funny.

"You're lucky that kid is half Kate it's the part that's indestructible" Jim said as a compliment to quickly cover up the fact he was more amused about Kat feeling unbalanced when she was possibly the most unbalanced person he knew.

"Clearly I'm not indestructible" Kate said dryly as she gestured to her current state.

"More durable?" Jim offered.

"Hilarious" Kate said to Jim she looked at his plex "I don't want anything on the record yet" Kate said.

"We want to wrap this up quickly"

"I appreciate that but I can barely think straight let alone recount last night's events without incriminating myself or knowing what I'm saying is what actually happened. Am I making sense?" Kate asked.

"You are, I'll just take some notes if that's ok?" Jim asked.

"Sure, fire away" Kate said.

"Just tell us what happened in your own words" Jim said, Kate looked at him and for a moment he thought she had drifted off into a brain fog when she brought her attention back to him.

"Ok.." Kate said she told them of how she woke up and the conversation she and Caetano had and the events that followed with Malcolm's involvement. She told them everything up until the point where she crash tackled Malcolm to the floor. "We slammed into the bed frame from the force of the blast and the rest is a bit vague" Kate said calmly and detached as she had several months ago when she had to recount her time during the occupation.

"Kate, you can do better" Taylor told her. Kate licked her lips and looked like she was truly racking her brain trying to remember before she spoke.

"…I blacked out I don't know how long and when I came to I was heavily disorientated. I'm not really sure of how but there was a gun in my hand and she was dead. I don't know how I made the shot but I guess I did as we are here and she is dead" Kate finished, they could see she was fading fast as her eyes were starting to droop closed and she was sinking lower on the bed. It was clear she wanted to be asleep.

"Where was the gun before it was in your hand?" Jim asked her, he knew they should call it quits as Kate needed to rest but he just wanted to know the truth of what happened.

"I don't know, on the floor between Malcolm and I?" Kate offered as she sunk into the bed looking at the two gentlemen with an expression that said she was finished with them and wanted to be left alone but Jim wasn't done yet.

"You have a broken shoulder and humerus. How did you reckon lifted the weapon and pulled the trigger?" Jim asked her casually.

"Adrenalin? I'm amazed you have to ask after all the stunts I've pulled in worse shape" Kate told him before she let go of Malcolm's hand to cover her mouth and yawn.

"You're right." Jim said.

"Any other questions?" Kate asked.

"For Malcolm" Jim said, Jim asked Malcolm to recount his memory of last night's events. Malcolm told him or how he woke up to the chatter and pulled the gun from his bedside table and went to check it out. He lied about Lamp said he'd been aiming at it the whole time to use the darkness as cover to escape. Then explained his slip of telling Kate to run which was when she had crash tackled him saving him from receiving a full sonic blast and then blacked out.

"That's it?" Jim asked Malcolm.

"Yes, I didn't have any out of body experiences I just remember hitting the floor and then waking up here black and blue and broken next to Kate" Malcolm said looking at Kate who was struggling to stay awake next to him. He had to admit he wouldn't mind a mid morning nap himself.

"Ok" Jim said as he and Taylor could see Kate was ready to sleep and Taylor shifted on his feet which was a sign to Jim that it was time to wrap it up.

"Is that all? as I think it's a good time to call it quits. Kate needs to rest" Malcolm told them.

"Yes, it'll do nicely for now. We'll wait until you both are cleared by medical before taking your formal statements for the record but we appreciate the latitude" Taylor told them with an warm smile.

"Could be awhile for me before I go on record" Kate half mumbled half said which made the gentlemen in the room smile as she barely made any sense.

"No issue there. We already spoke with Doc Shannon. So we have a rough idea of when. You two don't worry about anything but looking after one another and getting better" Taylor said, he and Jim had talked with Elisabeth and Dr Hastings who told them about their injuries and the time line for recovery. Dr Hastings was sporting some nasty bruises on his neck and made a comment about never underestimating a woman's strength but made no formal complaint.

They had informed them that Kate would take the longest to heal as they couldn't use derma spray or other normal modes of treatments due to Kate's sensitivity to their medicines. They also said it was easier to let her heal naturally than risk the baby's and the mother's health by experimenting. There was also the fact that Kate was adverse to anything more than the barest mininum of chemical treatments.

"Yeah don't get me started. You think I wasn't capable of saying my own name" Kate mumbled as she tried vainly to stay awake. Malcolm pursed his lips as he tried not to smile. It had been a pretty good fight watching Kate try and get herself out of the infirmary. He found it surprising and amusing how obstinate Kate could be with other people and was secretly glad she wasn't with him. She had her moments but usually she caved or default to him.

"It's not about just you Kate" Malcolm said carefully.

"Yes, it's about the kid" Kate said with a sigh as she was frustrated with how she was trying to do what felt best for the baby and somehow she always ended up feeling like a failure as she was overruled by doctors. At least Malcolm didn't patronize her like the tag team routine Elisabeth and Dr Hastings played on her this morning before their breakfast had arrived.

"Don't forget me too. I want the peace of mind knowing you're being taken care of and our boy as he depends on you being cared for" he said as he lifted her left hand and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand. Kate's annoyance softened as she warmed from the way he made her feel so incredibly loved and make her and their child sound like his entire world with one sentence and a look.

"So you told him about it being0" Jim said getting their attention again.

"A boy? Of course and I'm still not calling him James, Jim, Nathan, Nathaniel, Carter, Alex or Tom" Kate told him.

"Or Damien" Malcolm said in amusement as Kate had reminded Dr Hastings that his name was out of the running earlier that morning.

"Especially Damien" Kate muttered darkly as she wasn't impressed with being given medication when she refused it. She felt like had a head full of fog and right now she was ready to fall asleep.

"I don't know why my name has to be cut off the list " Taylor said pretending to be upset at his name getting the cut.

"There are too many Nathaniels running around this colony" Kate told him.

"I'm sure we'll find a name we can agree on" Malcolm said to Kate.

"Can we talk about it later? I'm knackered right now" She told him.

"Of course" Malcolm said he looked to Taylor and Jim hoping they would take their cue and leave. Luckily Taylor did as he stood up straighter and motioned to Jim.

"Shannon and I are going to head out. But before we go I should mention Alicia will be by in the afternoon with the twins" Taylor told them.

"Ok" Kate said with a yawn, Taylor and Jim gave their farewells and left the room closing the door behind them. He turned his attention to Kate to find her already asleep. He took a slow and deep breath feeling relief wash over him as he felt everything was going to be ok.

* * *

"What do you want to do Shannon? I'm not throwing Mira and her second in command in the brig for saving three lives. If they even killed Caetano. I'm still waiting for solid evidence" Taylor said as he never thought he'd see the day when he would defend Mira or Carter. Jim looked at him incredulously from the guest chair opposite Taylor's desk in the Command Centre. They had come straight from the infirmary to the Command Centre were Taylor cleared the room and closed the doors as he knew Jim would have one of his melt downs. It was easy to read Jim as he didn't have a poker face to speak of.

"If? you know it would have been impossible for Kate to make a head shot in her condition. She had shredded hands and a broken shoulder and upper arm. Malcolm was out for the count and the direction of the body is conclusion that it was either Mira and Carter" Jim said.

"what do you want?" Taylor asked.

"I want the truth" Jim said.

"Good luck finding it with Mira." Taylor scoffed as he sat back in his chair and looked to Jim. It never ceased to amaze him how Jim bent the rules and lies as much as everyone else yet when it came to this case he was pushing hard.

"Why do I feel like you're just going to let it slide because they saved Kate and Malcolm?"

"And their unborn baby"

"Doesn't it bother you that Caetano a peaceful widow with a young son just started going on a murdering spree?" Jim asked.

"Of course it does but you're the law man. It's your job to find out why" Taylor said.

"Which is hard when I have you putting the pressure on me to close this case quickly and two possibly three people lying about what happened" Jim told him.

"I want this closed for Kate's sake. The woman doesn't need this hanging over her head, she needs some peace and quiet. She's not indestructible she has a bummed ticker and is pregnant. Your wife was the one who told us we had to limit our time with Kate about this case" Taylor said which was true Elisabeth had said to keep thier interactions with Kate about the case to a mininum as they were trying to reduce her stress levels.

"I understand that" Jim said.

"Good and in answer to your earlier question. Yes, I'll let it slide. Mira and Carter will never confess to shooting Caetano and Kate has it in her head she shot the woman which is self defence. If they don't budge from their statements how I am to not take their word for it?" Taylor asked.

"Because of the evidence"

"You understand the delicate relationship I have with Mira. This Colony needs the sixers as much as we need them, if I don't start taking Mira at her words and trusting her I will damage whatever trust I can earn with her and the others." Taylor said.

"You never felt it was important before"

"It was always important but this is about 'face' Shannon. I have an image and reputation to maintain. Right now I have enraged colonists who were Sixers and their friends were murdered. If I put their leader in a pod for shooting that murderer it won't go well. We don't know what happened, Caetano was still holding her weapon which to me says that the two if armed could have shot Caetano in self defence then planted the gun on Kate. One of many scenarios could have played but we will never know for sure" Taylor said.

"Well I would like to know what set Caetano off" Jim said.

"Hopefully that autopsy will show something up. Your wife give an ETA?" Taylor asked.

"No, apparently it can't be rushed" Jim said.

"Ok, well keep me posted" Taylor told him, in a tone that said Jim was dismissed. Jim gave a nod and rose from his seat and left the Command Centre leaving Taylor to his thoughts.

* * *

_TBC~Cya all soon :-)_


	56. Chapter 56

_A/N: Many Thanks for the reviews! and apologies on a short update been a busy week! Anyways ENJOY! and please allow anything medical that isn't correct slide..._

* * *

"Awwh I want to cuddle" Kate said pouting playfully, Alicia moved to Malcolm's side of the bed as he was looking in better shape than Kate even though he sustained more severe injuries than Kate. Kate however looked stoned as her movements were sluggish and her words slightly slurred.

"They put her on an automated medication drip for the pain" Malcolm told Alicia as he happily took Ava from Alicia to lighten the load and so as to stop Kate from trying to pick up the child in her state. He of course was blissfully pain free without feeling the effects Kate was enduring. He was still amazed how such a small amount of medication could affect her. He placed Ava on his right shoulder so Kate could feel some involvement in the visit as he knew she loved holding the twins but with her injury couldn't.

"I figured they wouldn't give her a choice" Alicia said as she pulled up a chair by the bed on Kate's side and sat down with Ella in her lap. She bounced the little girl to stop her from fussing as she had learned an appreciation for movement.

"I gave her no choice. She was in too much pain from just lying in bed." Malcolm said.

"Broken Shoulders are hard to sleep with" Alicia said sympathetically. "So how are you going?" she asked Malcolm making conversation as she watched Kate get Ava's little hand to grasp her finger and smile at the baby girl.

"Hello baby girl, you're going to grow up to be as pretty as your mummy. Yes you are" Kate cooed at Ava who was staring at Kate from Malcolm's shoulder with curious expression.

"How much did they give her?" Alicia asked Malcolm incredulously as Kate was telling Ava how she could cougar her and Malcolm's son after he turned 27 because by then he would be a very worldly and experienced man. Malcolm chuckled as he gently rubbed Ava's back in a soothing manner more for himself than the child as he really didn't want to think about how old he'd be when his son turned 27.

"Enough to make my morning interesting until she passed out" he told her with a smile. Alicia smiled and laughed because if the conversation Kate was having with Ava was anything to go by it would have definitely been entertaining.

"You know I'm right here and my ears are functioning" Kate said in a gooey voice as she continued to play and make face with Ava.

"Oh so you're done telling my baby girl that she's welcome to your son when they are older?" Alicia asked Kate. Alicia couldn't help but smile at her best friend's antics for matchmaking their kids. Kate sat back and looked at Alicia while she still had Ava's little hand grasping her left thumb jigging it.

"Well it has to be Ava as Ella has red hair. It'll be a little weird having a son going after women who look like his mum" Kate said making a face. Malcolm pursed his lips trying not to smile as he adjusted Ava on his shoulder.

"Kate, you have blue eyes and red hair. Ella has reddish brown hair which will darken when she's older and she has brown eyes" Alicia told Kate trying hard to be serious with such a shallow conversation.

"Still little weird. Hey do I look like your mother?" Kate asked Malcolm.

"No, my mother has my hair colour and hazel eyes. You've seen the photo of my parents" Malcolm told her, he nearly laughed out loud as Kate looked relieved at the knowledge before she remembered the photo with an 'ah ha' expression on her face. .

"Yes, that's right I remember in the living room. Did I ever show you?" Kate asked Alicia. Alicia shook her head "Oh you should see his father" Kate told her with a salacious smile.

"Really?" Alicia asked in amusement as Malcolm's neck was going slightly red from embarassment.

"Yeah he could give Taylor a run for his money" Kate said with an adamant nod.

"I highly doubt that" Alicia said smugly but her curiosity was piqued as she wondered how long they could carry on their guy talk until Malcolm grew uncomfortable and asked to change the topic which she knew wouldn't be long.

"Well, I'll admit Taylor is a good looking man-"

"I'm uncomfortable with the direction of this conversation going and I'd leave the room but I'm injured and don't have any pants on" Malcolm announced as he didn't like or want to hear Kate talking about being attracted to other men especially his father and Taylor. Ok, he could accept her being attracted to her father as she only saw him as what Malcolm would like in 20-30 years if he kept in shape. People in his social circles of 2149 were always commenting about how he was a carbon copy of his father in every respect except for vocation.

"It's ok Malcolm I've seen a few naked asses in my time" Alicia said before she and Kate laughed as Malcolm shook his head getting flustered.

"Anyway, I was going to say that Taylor reminds me of my grandfather. Not in looks but spirit, he's always keeping me in line and giving me a kick up the ass when I need it." Kate said with a smile.

"Taylor's good at giving people a kick up the backside when they need it" Alicia said as she got up from her chair and walked with Ella who was getting a little restless. Alicia was sure between the gym, breastfeeding and walking Ella and Ava around she was soon going to be in better shape than she was in before her pregnancy.

"So how was your night?" Kate asked Alicia wriggling her eyebrows suggestively as Kate already knew that Alicia was trying to have sex with Taylor as Kate had been there when Elisabeth told Alicia all about her birth control options since she couldn't have the shot until she stopped breastfeeding.

"Oh it was great up until the power outage and my best friend nearly getting herself killed when saving her husband" Alicia said tongue in cheek.

"It wasn't like that" Kate said.

"Yeah I saved her first" Malcolm griped earning him smiles from the women.

"Yes you did a very good job of protecting me and our baby after you gave away your position and were nearly killed" Kate said giving him a backhanded compliment.

"Please tell me it's drool this time" Malcolm said as he could feel his shoulder getting damp. She wore an amused smile as Ava was gnawing on the fabric of his hospital gown and drooling which acounted for the fabric being damp.

"Yes, it's soo cute" Kate told him.

"You want me to get a towel?" Alicia asked.

"No it's fine, I'll change later. Drool I can handle wearing, vomit no so much" Malcolm said.

"Think of it as something to look forward to" Alicia told him in a teasing manner.

* * *

"I have finished the Autopsy and here's my final report" Elisabeth said as she handed her plex over to Taylor. She stood next to Jim who had come in the same time as her into the Command Centre to where they stood in front of Taylor's desk.

"It's rather light" Taylor commented as he flicked through the report. He remember the autopsy on Philbrick being a larger file than the one he was currently looking at.

"COD was a broken neck consistent with a high energy sonic blast to the head. She was shot from front on and her head snapped back" Elisabeth demonstrated the direction angle of the blast from fractures to the face and neck using Jim who had been standing beside her as her victim. "She wouldn't have felt any pain. On an interesting note I did find a tumour and lesions in her brain" Elisabeth said.

"Which means?" Taylor asked.

"It means she was likely to suffer audio and visual hallucinations which could explain how Kate said the woman was talking to the room like there were other people there." Elisabeth said she skated a look to Jim who must have already grilled her on the way to the Command Centre about it.

"Well that explains why her diary said you visited her with four other people to form a jury of peers" Jim said, he didn't like writing Caetano off as a crazy woman as he just didn't get the vibe from her that she was unstable. But she kept a plex with extensive notes, plans and transcripts of what looked like mock trials and journal entries. The names of her 'peers' were people who had died when the Phoenix Army stormed the Colony.

It looked like Caetano had been keeping the company of ghosts and lived in a functional yet delusional state. It wasn't like she woke up one morning and thought it a great idea to kill people. She spent months planning and finding the reasons to kill the people she had so she could sleep with the guilt. She had a long list names to get through and all the people on the list convicted guilty were dead with exception of four people. Apparently Malcolm and Alicia along with a couple of other scientists had been given pardons due to their experience and expertise that would be required for the future of the colony. Alicia had been lucky on the grounds of her medical expertise something that the Colony required.

He should be grateful for small mercies that Alicia had been spared. At least it would put the whole case to rest. "But still why wasn't this picked up?" Taylor asked.

"Because not every colonist comes in for a yearly physical, if they did we might have been able to pick it up. Might being the operative word and even if we did pick it up it would have been too late as the tumour was inoperable. I'd say from the size and the condition of her brain it didn't appear in the last 6 months I'd say in the last two years." Elisabeth said, she continued to tell the men of her theories along with psychological and medical knowledge to back them up to explain how and why Caetano may not have sought out medical help. Taylor thanked her and then dismissed her, she gave a nod before leaving them to return to the infirmary.

"Well Shannon is everything to your satisfaction yet?" Taylor asked Jim when they were alone.

"It doesn't answer who killed Caetano and it wasn't Kate" Jim said. Taylor took a deep breath as Jim was quite obstinate on the finer details of the case and appointing blame to the appropriate people.

"It doesn't matter Shannon, I'm not charging them so I don't need to know" Taylor said, it wasn't true he did want to know but he had a feeling it was Mira as Carter kept pushing his lie about it being Kate. He knew if Carter had shot Caetano he would have just said so and rather smugly.

"So you are letting it slide" Jim said.

"Yes, I'm going to give them a 'blanket' pardon if they have something to confess about that night then they can because if it were anyone but a sixer we wouldn't be having this conversation. We'd be patting them on the back. Why does this put a burr in your pants?" Taylor asked.

* * *

"I want to go home" Kate whispered to Malcolm. Alicia and the twins had left them over an hour ago to go home to get ready for dinner. Malcolm had drifted off the sleep while Kate laid awake. She had disconnected the IV drip from the catheter in the back of her hand just needed a break and a clear mind. Apparently with a clear mind her senses were more hieghtened and every beep, scuffle of shoes and voice made her twitch with bad nerves.

"You need to rest and here is the best place for it" He murmured as he was slowly waking up. He felt the bed shift as Kate moved closer to him on the bed. He opened his eyes and looked to her as she was lying on her side looking at him.

"I can't rest here with people walking in and out of the room and the bed's uncomfortable" she grumbled to him.

"Are you feeling ok?" he asked her as he could see she in pain and her eyes weren't hazy with drugs.

"No, I'm uncomfortable. I want to go home and be alone with you" she told him, she just wanted the peace and quiet of their home, to lie down in their bed with Malcolm and sleep for a month.

"You sound clear headed. You should be asleep or still out of it with your meds" he said as he raised his hand to the side of her face getting a better look at her as he was still waking up himself. He didn't get the same buzz as her from the drugs as his body metabolised the medication differently to hers. He just didn't feel the pain and that was it.

"Oh you mean this?" She asked as she lifted up the end of her IV drip, his eyes went wide as she had disconnected the plug. "I pulled it after Alicia left with the twins" she informed him. He made a face of displeasure.

"Kate, that's supposed to be in your hand not waved around and where have the drugs and fluids been going?" he asked her.

"Onto the floor I guess?" Kate offered with a hint of humour and a half shrug that made her wince.

"Kate" he groaned not finding it funny in the least.

"Relax, I put it into a cup. I don't like being high 24/7, this bed is really uncomfortable" Kate murmured with a groan as her body complained in its current position but she didn't want to move as she wanted to be closer to Malcolm.

"you've barely been high for 24 hours and anyway it's your broken bones and sore body that are uncomfortable not the bed. You'll heal faster and be able to come home sooner if you take your meds." He told her.

"I don't want my meds I want you to kiss me" Kate said in a low voice.

"If you put the IV line in, I will kiss you" he told her as he rolled onto his side. It wasn't the most comfortable position with broken ribs but then he wanted to face her on in the bed.

"Fine but why do you want me all vulnerable and dopey?" she asked him as she was having difficulties connecting the IV drip to the catheter in the back of her hand before he looked back at her.

"Because I love you and I don't like seeing you in pain" he told her as he stroked his fingers across her forehead brushing loose hair strands out of her face and behind her ear.

"I can't put it back in" Kate mumbled as her left hand was shaking badly.

"Here allow me" he said he took the IV line from her and within seconds connected it back into the catheter in her hand. She mumbled a 'thanks' as he moved his other hand and cupped the sides of her face "You know it's over, the danger is gone right?" he asked her as he tried to make eye contact with her but she kept her eyes averted.

"I know" she said but he wasn't convinced.

"I don't think you do. Otherwise you'd keep your IV in and rest. Talk to me" he implored softly as he wanted to know what she was thinking.

"I thought you were going to kiss me" she said finally making eye contact and smiling. It was her typical behaviour to deflect than talk about something painful or her fears.

"Kate" he said in tone that said he wanted to be serious. She gave a sigh and he could see tears forming in her eyes. "hey, hey it's ok" he told her.

"How do you know? You and Taylor tell me I'm safe and everything will be fine and look at us. We're a mess, our home is a mess. I'm tired of being injured, resting and recovering to just go through it all again" Kate told him.

"I'm hoping it's the last time" he told her.

"But it never is" she said in a barely a whisper as the tears fell from her eyes. He cupped her face and wiped the tears away for her as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"It is" he told her.

"How? When do I stop having to pay for my past?" she asked him.

"Kate, I-" Malcolm stopped as he heard the door to the room opened, he looked up to see Taylor and Jim walked into the room. Kate groaned in pain as she genlty pushed him to lie on his back as she straddled his lap twisting the blankets and her IV. She didn't care about the IV or the blankets as she didn't want to cry infront of Taylor and Jim but she couldn't stop the tears. She kept her upper body off him as best she could and pressed her mouth onto the top of his shoulder. He was glad they were sitting upright with the back of the bed to support him otherwise he would have been in a world of hurt.

"Commander, Sheriff" Malcolm said to them politely but really he felt like being anything but polite. He felt his shoulder become warm and damp as Kate was still crying. He wished the men would leave the room as he wanted to finish his conversation with Kate as he pulled the blankets loose around Kate and adjusted them so they are least covered her backside from view as she was in an open hospital gown.

"Is this a bad time?" Jim asked awkwardly as it appeared like the two were having an intimate moment before he and Taylor came into the room. He really hoped they were just talking and nothing else as he didn't want to think of Malcolm and Kate having sex at all let alone with the mess of injuries they had between them.

"Yes" Kate muffled into Malcolm's neck. Malcolm gave a closed lip smile as he wasn't going to apologise for Kate and he had a feeling this wasn't going to be a short visit as it was clear from Taylor's expression that they had news that couldn't wait.

"We'll make it quick" Taylor said as he could see Kate was in tears and the fact she holding onto Malcolm instead of giving him the space he needed for his injuries meant she was in a bad way. It made him worry about her but it looked like Malcolm was at least trying to soothe her but it was hard to tell as he knew Kate didn't like to show weakness to an audience.

"It would be appreciated as Kate is flagging. It's been a tiring day" Malcolm said to them.

"We wanted you to know the inquest is finished" Jim said he winced as the open back of the gown showed the massive bruising on her arm, shoulder and back. It looked incredibly painful and he wondered how Kate could sit the way she was and actually be comfortable while he watched as Malcolm slowly rubbed the uninjured side of her body.

"It's not even 5 pm" Malcolm remarked as soft beep sounded indicating that Kate was recieving her next dose of medication. He inwardly gave a sigh of relief as she wouldn't be in any physical pain once the meds kicked in. The rest would have to be worked through later when they were alone.

"Well Caetano kept extensive logs of her activities. Couple that with Mira and Carter's statements it's clear to see Caetano was killed as a measure of containing the dangerous situation." Jim said using Taylor's words.

"I don't understand" Malcolm said.

"It was ruled as self defence" Taylor said.

"So our home is no longer a crime scene?" Malcolm asked them. Taylor gave a nod.

"That's right. Carter and a couple of volunteers are cleaning up as we speak by the time you'll be released it'll be good as new. I'll check on them this afternoon and let you know tomorrow" Taylor told Malcolm.

"I appreciate it, thank you" Malcolm replied.

"You're welcome now you two take care and I'll see you tomorrow afternoon with Alicia" he told them. He gave a nod to Jim and the two men left the room silently leaving Malcolm to tend with Kate.

* * *

Taylor had a heavy heart after leaving the infirmary. He hated seeing his people broken and beaten down and Kate was in that state but he was glad that Malcolm was stepping up and taking care of her. He dismissed Jim and went to Kate and Malcolm's house to find the place had been cleaned up and prepped for repairs. He decided to use the time to look around and found nothing out of the ordinary except for one wireless microphone and a few guns stashed around the house, he packed up the guns into a bag and took a seat in the nursery where he had found the mike hiding under the crib. He knew that someone would return for it and he hoped to catch them before he went home dinner and luck was on his side as the front door opened.

He waited and wasn't surprised when Carter walked into the room and stopped at Taylor's presence.

"Interesting tech. This how you kept ears on Kate?" Taylor mused as he tossed the microphone piece in his hand. Carter gave a shrug as he leaned against the door frame.

"Well I couldn't hide out in the bushes like some kind of peeping tom now could I?" Carter asked, Taylor tossed the mike to Carter who caught it with ease.

"I assume you'll also get your feelers out of my security systems" Taylor said assuming that the Sixers were more skilled than they let on.

"Already done" Carter said not realising he just tipped his hand but then Taylor knew the man didn't care. Neither did Taylor as Kate was saved due to the Sixers just running in blind.

"Who wrote the programs for it?" Taylor asked.

"You want a beer? I stashed a couple of bottles in the fridge" Carter asked.

"No, I'm good" Taylor said, he waited as he heard Carter moved to fridge and open it pulling out a bottle and popping the lid before returning to the door way.

"I'm not telling you who wrote the programs" Carter told him before taking a pull of the beer.

"Maybe I want them to help me update the systems around here" Taylor said sitting back in his chair.

"You trust one of us with your precious security systems?" Carter asked.

"At some point we have to learn to trust one another and this colony and it's people including the sixers is all we have to restart civilisation" Taylor said.

"Save the speech"

"Fine, you let whoever it was know if they want a job in tech development they come see me"

"Right I'll pass the word around" Carter said dryly before he took another sip.

"Tell me something Carter. Why were you and Mira looking out for Kate? She's not a sixer and if anything she's killed more of sixers than I have. Yet you still hate me" Taylor said as he figured that he would never get another opportunity to have a somewhat honest conversation with Carter.

"What can I say? I respect what I fear" Carter replied with a shrug.

"So you're not afraid of me?" Taylor asked.

"Not really, I used to pity you more than fear you" he said honestly.

"Pity me? I must be losing my touch" Taylor said with a hint of humour.

"You lose your wife and Lucas ends up screwed in the head because you didn't hug him enough in his teens. He comes here and turns what should have been a simple business transaction into some twisted vendetta where we lose all because you had Kate your trump card. She's something no one can prepare for. Anyway Lucas was too focussed on screwing your life up to remember the big picture" Carter said.

Carter spoke with cold and clinical detachment something he had seen Kate do whenever she spoke about her past or made an observation about something that others would have difficulty removing their emotions and personal bias from. Except Carter wasn't as good at it as his opinions tainted his observations as he rolled his eyes at the vendetta Lucas had. Lucas's life work being dismissed as childish by someone who worked for him.

"Which is?" Taylor asked

"In regards to you, he already won when he tried that coup d'état and you banished him the first time round" Carter said as if it were obvious.

"I'm lost" Taylor said wanting Carter to clarify.

"He wanted to ruin your life, make you miserable it's like he was blind to the fact that you were already miserable when you had it all and he was exiled in the jungle. Hell you were miserable before that trying to get him to like you. I never get that you got your hot little lieu-"

"Be careful with your words" Taylor warned him as he would not let anyone disrespect his wife.

"You had it all and you weren't happy it's like you didn't realise how good you had it until Lucas took it all away from you and propped your Lieutenant on display during the Occupation and god knows what he was doing with Kate. He made this huge production that it was his and you lost. As if he was rubbing salt into your wounds but he really only made you realise how set you got it and gave you the thirst you needed to get it back. Our task wasn't to help Lucas shove it to you. It was about getting our freedom and getting rich that was the big picture" Carter told Taylor with a smile as he took another pull of his beer.

"And what would you have done if Lucas asked you to take charge?" Taylor asked oddly amused at the man's insight.

"Dropped a pyrosonic on this colony and destroyed it all. I'd do days before you even scratched your head about going to check out the terminus. That way you and everyone here would be dead and there would be nothing to be worried about. Then the miners and soldiers could come through and the mining would begin and then I'd be all cosy and rich in a dome. That's if we had done it my way" Carter said rather proud of himself with his rather simple solution.

"Well I guess it's lucky you weren't in charge" Taylor said with the quirk of his lips. At least Carter was brutally honest, his method was efficient if not a little chilling.

"I'm amoral, one of the reasons I was so good at my old job in 2149. Just wasn't good enough to escape prison time." He said with a shrug before taking a pull of his beer.

"Now?" Taylor asked.

"Now, I don't care about anything. The future is 'rooted' as Kate would say and if I can't go home rich I'd rather die here in the land of milk and honey. Where one can breathe fresh air and have all the hot showers, cold beers a man can afford and enjoy the company of friends and the ladies. No fun being out in that jungle" Carter told him.

"Well I suggest you don't give me a reason to throw you back out there" Taylor told him with a closed smile.

"Don't worry about me, worry about those two girls you have they'll grow up quick and beautiful" Carter said wriggling his eyebrows suggestively. Taylor's smile dropped and his expression grew dark.

"Don't even think about it" he told Carter in a dark tone. Carter laughed.

"Relax old man, I'm just yanking your chain and anyway I'm more afraid of your wife kicking my ass if I tried because by the time they are 20 you'll be what? a 150 years old by then?" Carter asked him with a grin.

"You're pushing it" Taylor said with a smile as he could just imagine Alicia wiping the floor with Carter's face in twenty years time.

"Anyway, the windows will be finished in a week and I'm thinking you should have the floorboards replaced as the blood won't wash out. Considering how twitchy Kate is she won't need that reminder" Carter said turning the conversation to business.

"Ok I'll organise the contractors" Taylor said with a nod as he got up from his chair. He was ready to go home to his wife and kids.

"Good. Ah hey, I know this is out of line but could you not give her back the deputy position when she wants to return?" Carter asked him as he moved out of the door way so Taylor could pass him.

"Why?" Taylor asked as he moved to the front door.

"Don't you think she's done enough for all of us? I just want her to enjoy her life without all the bullshit we and when I say 'we' I mean the colonists and sixers deal with our issues of coexisting with one another and bad blood. It's not her mess and frankly the last time I saw her previous to that night she's burnt out. Her life was before she came here, the occupation and this killer is coming after her. It's compounding in her right now. If she doesn't get some sense of normalcy and peace in her life. I can promise you she'll blow her brains out" Carter said.

"You sound like you're speaking from experience" Taylor said his eyes narrowing as he wondered for the first time who Carter really was and not the crib note version.

"You ever read up on the history of her comrades? what happened to them? I'm talking about the ones who survived their contracts and went on to retire?" Carter asked him.

"No, I didn't" Taylor said.

"You should" Carter told him with a finality that told Taylor he would have to look it up for himself.

"I'll do that" he said he turned to the door and was about to open it but stopped and turned to Carter. "Oh and next time don't cover up for Mira. I would have listened to the truth and let you both go for what happened that night. You and Mira saved three lives that night. I'm not going to pin medals on you for it but I am grateful for what you two did" he told Carter and with that he left the house before Carter could make a smarmy remark.

* * *

_TBC-Cya all soon!_


	57. Chapter 57

_A/N: Many thanks for the Reviews! And Enjoy :-D_

* * *

"Hey, you're home early" Alicia said in surprise, she hadn't expected him home for at least another hour. Taylor kicked off his boots and moved to the lounge area where he deposited a black duffel bag on the floor.

"I dropped in to see Carter's estimates on Kate's place" Taylor said as he moved furniture and rolled up the rug to open the bunker he had below.

"And?" Alicia asked as she placed the roast she had been preparing in the oven before she turned to watch Taylor disappear into his bunker with the bag.

"At least a month, maybe more" Taylor said from below. Alicia could hear him placing at least three guns away and wondered how many Kate had been hiding in her house to begin with.

"That long?" Alicia asked as she moved over to the hole in the floor and looked down watching as Taylor placed Kate's old sig on the bench.

"Well there are some things that need replaced like the kitchen cabinets and some floorboards" he said as dismantled the weapon and placed it into a drawer.

"The blood" Alicia surmised as it usually had the bad manners to stain wood as if to serve as a bad reminder. Alicia hadn't seen the place but she just assumed it had been a mess from the state of Taylor's clothing there had to be quite a lot of it at the scene. Taylor held up the empty bag to her which she took from him and stepped back as Taylor came back up and closed the door.

"Yeah, I'm making it top priority for the contractors to get the house completed as soon as possible" Taylor said as he punched in the code before he and Alicia righted the rug and furniture.

"Baz will love that" Alicia said dryly. Taylor quirked his lips in a faint smile as Baz always found it insulting when he was told to do rush jobs as if Taylor was telling him he was lazy normally which was never the case.

"He loves Kate so it works in our favour. How was your visit with them?" Taylor asked, he hoped that Alicia's visit was more uplifting than his. Judging by the smile on Alicia's lips as she went to the fridge it had been good.

"Amusing, Kate tried to negotiate an arranged marriage between her unborn son and Ava" Alicia said as she pulled out a bottle of chilled white wine and poured two glasses.

"What's wrong with Ella?" Taylor asked her. She chuckled and shook her head at him.

"I like how you're more concerned about Ella being left out and not about Kate organising our daughter's future marriage" Alicia said in an amused voice before she passed him a glass of wine.

"Well I figured that's what all women do when they have kids they play match ups as a joke or something" Taylor offered as he secretly preferred the idea of Kate's son marrying his daughter than Carter getting his old lecherous hands on his beautiful girls in the future. But really he didn't want to think about it at all.

"I wouldn't know either way she said Ella looked too much like her so Ella and her son can never marry as it would be weird which lead to an amusing conversation in itself" Alicia said as she put the bottle back into the fridge. She then picked up her glass and they clinked glasses before taking a drink.

"Good wine" Taylor murmured as he looked at Alicia from across the kitchen island. He took in the sight of her in as he really like how domestic and relaxed she was looking in her tank top and loose cotton pyjama pants. He had noted all the changes over 3 months, Alicia has shrunk considerably from her pregnancy days as her body bounced back into good shape thanks to her gruelling exercise regime. She was still softer and curvier than before her pregnancy but her muscle definition was definitely coming back as was her confidence.

"So anything else amusing happened during your visit?" he asked before taking a sip of wine.

Taylor watched her and listened to her recount of the visit laughing at hearing Malcolm being uncomfortable with Kate finding Taylor attractive and the direction of the conversation to how Kate plotted out a whole future for Ava and her son but then gave up on it saying the kid will probably turn out to be some lanky nerd and Ava will be too interested in buff soldier boys. Something Taylor also laughed at but made a mental note to make sure when that time came all his men were too afraid of him to even consider going within a 5 metre radius of the girls. It was slightly worrisome he was already thinking that fair down the line.

"Malcolm's in pretty good shape, it won't take him long to heal from the surgery but the broken ribs will give him pain for a few weeks" Alicia said as she had watched Taylor circle the island to stand next to her.

"And Kate" Taylor said Alicia raised a curious eyebrow at him. "Shannon and I visited them to tell them that there were no other killers on the loose and that it was only Caetano. When we opened the door they were pretty cosy" Taylor remarked as he leaned a hip against the bench and took a sip of wine looking relaxed.

"Cosy?" Alicia asked him.

"Yes" he admitted in a reluctant manner so she would get the wrong meaning.

"How cosy?" Alicia asked in a rich tone as she did enjoy how prudish Taylor could get when it came to sex and other people.

"Come on, I don't want to know and just cosy enough to make Jim blush but as far as I concerned hands were in view and I know they both have enough meds in them nothing could happen and anyway-"

"I wouldn't say so" Alicia said cutting Taylor off before he could tell that Kate looked anything but amorous. Alicia wore a teasing smile that said she was going to explain the mechanics to him which he didn't need to hear especially about Kate and Malcolm.

"Don't, I know there is no way he-"

"He might not be able but that doesn't mean she can't" Alicia said with a grin.

"I don't want to know" he told her, he wanted to only think about them getting cosy.

"No?" she asked innocently as he took their wine glasses and moved them to the other bench out of the way.

"No. The only person's sex life I want to know about is yours" he told her as he turned back to and placed his hands on the bench fencing her in.

"Hmm well I don't have much of one" Alicia murmured looking up at him as she leaned back a little.

"You're being neglected by your husband?" he asked her leaning forward maintaining eye contact with her and giving an inviting smile. She nearly laughed as him speaking in third person about himself but his close proximity was intoxicating as heat radiated from him. Electricity sizzled between them as the sexual tension amped in a matter of seconds. Both of them holding off enjoying the tension and feeling the anticipation.

"Mmm no my husband is very attentive but you know having two babies makes a woman a little self conscious" Alicia said in a teasing yet slightly vulnerable manner as ran her hands slowly up his chest skating over the gun holster. He had to admit he found the mix intoxicating not because she made herself look weak but because she had the strength and trust to confide her vulnerabilities to him. One of them being her vanity.

"I hear you but I have to say for a woman who's had twins you got a great body" he told her as the temp kicked up a couple of degrees between them. Alicia was having a hard time concentrating since all she wanted him to do was to get naked very quickly and have him take her on the kitchen counter.

"You know I wasn't fishing for compliments" she told him, she didn't need him telling her she had a great ass as she had seen him checking her out on a daily basis and his gaze was anything but disapproving.

"I know, tell me what are our beautiful babies?" he asked her leaning in close that their noses were nearly touching.

"They are currently asleep in the nursery" she answered him in a husky and inviting tone, it was exactly what he needed to hear as he groaned and finally caved in and pressed his lips against hers.

He kissed her with all his pent up sexual and emotional frustration. It was hard, demanding kiss that she welcomed, she welcomed the thrust of his tongue into her mouth and returned his passion in kind. He gripped her hips, lifting her onto the kitchen bench behind her.

Alicia wrapped her legs around his hips closing what little physical space there was until she could feel his erection between her thighs. Alicia's world collapsed in on itself until it included only the space between them, the sounds of pleasure and the scent of Taylor's skin and her own arousal. She could feel the heat moving between them, there were too damn many clothes in the way. She needed to get them naked now.

She felt his hands squeeze her bottom, sending tremors of electric current along her limbs. She ripped her mouth away from his to find the salty heat of his throat. She loved the way he tasted. She licked and bit gently, right below his ear, where she knew it would make him growl in pleasure. She loved the feel of his body, the way his hands clenched on her bottom as she neared his favourite spot with her tongue.

His arms held her tight, his hips pivoting slowly, grinding against her in a way that made her blood catch fire. "Need you inside me," she panted against his neck. "Now."

* * *

Malcolm woke up with a start when Kate smacked him in the face with her hand. He would have grumbled for a moment and laughed but not this time as he heard Kate mumbling, he reached out and found her shaking, her skin fevered and covered in a light sheen of sweat as she was having a nightmare. He had seen her in the state many times before and it always made his heart twist in concern for her as he wondered what kept haunting her. The nightmares only seemed to crop up when she was stressed or so he assumed as she starting having nightmares after their back windows had been painted with blood.

Her words were so jumbled it was hard to tell what she was saying but he knew soon it would change. He raised the back of his bed so it matched hers as she could only sleep comfortably in a seated position.

"Wake up Kate, come back to me" he coaxed softly trying to rouse her. He touched the side of her face and continued to talk to her in a soft and coaxing tone. Kate gave out a low agonized moan and tears stroked down her face. She turned her head away and groaned as she shifted.

"It's ok, you're safe, just open your eyes" Malcolm whispered to her as he moved even closer to her, she vainly tried to push him away but he pulled her into his arms. He ignored the pain of her hand pressing against his sternum as he grabbed the wrist of the hand carefully while he stroked her cheek with the other.

Kate's eyes fluttered and finally opened. Terror was plain on her face, and he saw her trying to sort out the reality of him sitting there from her nightmare.

He smoothed her hair back from her sweaty forehead with one hand while he stroked the inside of her wrist with the other. She went stiff for a moment, then slowly relaxed as the dream lost its grasp. Her breathing was still laboured, and he could feel her pulse speeding beneath his fingers. She closed her eyes for a moment and pulled in a deep breath before exhaling slowly.

"You okay?" he asked, knowing what a stupid question it was but couldn't help asking.

"Just give me a minute" she said and he did watching while she tried to calm herself. It seemed like she had no control on her emotions or body as tried desperately to not cry. Her nightmares were a nasty mix of old memories from 2016 and the occupation mixed in with the delights her overactive imagination. It was not a good mix. In fact she wished she could breakdown and cry but she was so tired of being in tears and being consoled mainly just being weak.

"You know I prefer you only dream about me" he told her with a smile gently teasing her, watching her closely. Kate couldn't help but smile at the comment, she liked how he took the route of humouring her first before asking the question she hated hearing. "Do you want to talk about?" Malcolm asked her seriously as his eyes skated over her face taking in the sight of her.

"Do I ever want to talk about it?" Kate asked him with an exhale as she shifted into a more comfortable position.

"No, but I'm hoping one day you will" he said looking at her in the soft glow of the chem. lighting used in the infirmary at night time so the night staff could do their jobs without being blind.

"I'm hoping one day you'll kiss me" she told him with a teasing smile trying to lighten the mood further. She knew he didn't like the unknown or secrets but she didn't want to rehash her history or what she had dreamed about when she wanted to forget.

"I kiss you every day and if you had it your way it'd be every hour" he told her in a trying tone, Kate smiled.

"Nah every four hours at least as I need to have my own life and get some sleep" Kate told him with a smile before she kissed him. He ran his hands through her hair and kissed her back leisurely and slow. After a few seconds, a soft beep sounded and Malcolm broke the kiss knowing Kate would fall asleep in a matter of minutes. Kate made a murmur of protest which he smiled at.

"As much as I'd love to indulge you further our time is limited" he told her before she kissed him.

"Then turn off the machine, I don't want to sleep I want you" she mumbled against his lips as the medication wasn't giving her a choice. He indulged her in one more kiss before pulled his lips away from hers, he slid his arm under her head.

"Come on" he said as he pulled her closer.

"I don't want to hurt you" she murmured as she was now curled up into his side with her head on his shoulder.

"I'll be fine" he assured her as he gently stroked her back, he felt his shoulder grow damp and Kate slightly tremble against him. "Kate-"

"I'm ok, just stupid hormones and drugs not physical pain" Kate told him with a sigh as she shifted her left hand up and wiped the tears from her face. She tucked the hand away and moved closer to him yet again, her slightly protruding pressed against his flank.

"You know you can tell me anything" Malcolm said to her.

"I know just not here, the walls have ears here" Kate told him in a hushed tone.

"Speaking of walls that have ears, I can feel him moving in there" Malcolm commented before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. It was true he could feel the slightest brushes of movement from her stomach. He also understood she was afraid of being overheard and her words ending up as town gossip. So he felt it best not to argue and to keep conversation light until she fell asleep.

Kate gave a soft chuckle "wait until he's out and about running around, you're going to have to chase him" She told him as she was doing her best to tamp down on the tears.

"Lucky I've been getting in shape so I can catch up with him" Malcolm said.

"Mmm you'll also have to keep up with me too" Kate murmured in a salacious manner as she was slowly drifting between consciousness and sleep. Malcolm chuckled.

* * *

"I'm an idiot" Alicia said breathlessly as she was flat on her back on their bed next to Taylor who was on his side with his head propped up looking down at her. They were both shamelessly naked with the lights on they hadn't even managed to get under the sheets or close the bedroom door as they had been so frantic for one another and to finish what they had started in the kitchen. "Don't look so smug" she told him as she saw the starts of his smile.

"I'm allowed to be smug"

"No, you're a prude. You wouldn't do me on the kitchen counter"

"I wanted our first time to be in bed and you're not an idiot" he told her as he took advantage of her current state to roam his hand over the front of her body in a slow and relaxing motion. Their love making had frenetic, slightly aggressive but definitely worth the long months of abstinence. Not that he would ever allow them to go back to that state again. He definitely was not going to go without sex with Alicia ever again if he could help it.

"I am, I love you and I'm an idiot to freeze you out because my own issues of inadequacy and lack of control" She told him as tears burned her eyes.

"I'm every bit imperfect as everybody else in this colony even you. But in saying that you are perfect to me and I won't have you calling yourself an idiot. We have kinks-"

"Hmm I noticed I have mine"

"I meant outside of our love making and if you're that hell bent on it I'll bend you over the dinner table later" he told her, Alicia gave a chuckle before settling back into a thoughtful expression "back to our other kinks we'll work them out while raising those two squawky kids of ours. I think you woke one of them up" he said as one of the babies was making noises from the nursery. She wasn't crying yet so Alicia hoped whichever girl it was she would settle on her own and fall back to sleep. Taylor leaned down and kissed her shoulder.

"They are growing so fast" she murmured as the twins had hit their three month mark and were excelling in their development even though they had been prematurely born.

"I know, I'm thinking I need to spend more time around the house so I don't miss out on anything" he said ..._and baby number 3_ he thought as a soft smile spread across his face. They were both waiting for the full blown cry to bring an end to their interlude.

"Well you are your own boss" Alicia reminded him as she wouldn't mind having him around the house.

"True, I do have a lot of sick days accrued" he added with a smile as he slowly trailed his fingers down her stomach he was barely past her navel when the sounds turned into genuine cries.

"Well I should go that's a hunger cry" Alicia told him.

* * *

"We should think of names" Malcolm said a week later, he had been reading over reports for his department when he realised they had no names. Not that there was a huge rush they had time but he figured it might be topic that would safe to discuss since Kate's emotional state was currently like a roller coaster of happy times and crying jags that were the result of the nightmares she was having on and off for the past weeks.

Kate refused to talk about the nightmares with him but he didn't take it personally as her excuse was that they were in the infirmary with barely any privacy. He had to agree that the infirmary was not the most conducive place for a private conversation with staff coming and going and thin walls. So he did his best to support her and hoped the rest would work out for the best.

He lowered the plex in hands to his lap and looked at Kate. She looked completely exhausted and bedraggled than usual because she insisted on going through her morning routine of a shower and washing her hair every two days. The whole exercise exhausted Kate to the point that once she was wheeled back to bed she was already asleep compared to when she just had a sponge bath. He woke her up for lunch and she dozed through the afternoon until tea was served.

"Isn't it early to be thinking about names?" Kate asked between bites of her afternoon tea which was a cup of herbal tea, a piece fruit pastry he could see she was struggling with just the idea of eating it and keep it down as the pain meds were making her ill but Dr Hastings said there was nothing to be done since it was her physiology. He had inherited the position as senior physcian in the infirmary after the last one's demise during the occupation, Malcolm would have preferred to keep Elisabeth as their doctor but Hastings felt there was a strong bias and Elisabeth general productivity was hampered by treating her close family and friends.

"No, I don't think so" Malcolm said as he placed the plex he had been reading to the bedside table and watched her. He hoped he hadn't picked a subject that would make her cry.

"Oh good because I have a name that I'd like to call him" Kate said casually as she looked at the pastry with more interest than it deserved. In fact she knew it was delicious but she felt like she was in a neverending spin cycle of a washing machine. She told herself she had to eat

"What name?" Malcolm asked her keeping his tone light as he was inwardly dreading that Kate would go back to calling their child a 'parasite', 'tick', 'bug' etc. to be amusing instead being serious.

"Caleb" Kate answered hesitantly. Malcolm was shocked initially that she actually had given a name and especially the one she had chosen. He gave soft smile before nodding approval and rubbing her left arm getting her to look at him when she bit her bottom lip looking at him, her eyes bright with joy.

"After your grandfather, I think it's great name" he told her, he watched her break into a smile as he knew it made her happy to name their child after her grandfather.

"I was also thinking he could have your name as his middle name" Kate said turning her attention back to the pastry, he knew she was dying to pull it to bits and eat it in segments as that was how she liked to eat it but with one arm laid up it was not an easy task. She of course being pragmatic gave up and picked up.

"You've been giving this a lot of thought. Haven't you?" Malcolm asked her.

"Well isn't it tradition with your family? You have your father's name as your middle name" Kate said she took a quick breath and steeled herself before she took a bite of the pastry. It did taste good but her body just didn't want it.

"I suppose so I never really gave it much thought as I was named after my mother's father. If it makes you nausea you shouldn't eat it" Malcolm said watching her grow pale as she forcibly as if she were eating something incredibly disgusting.

"Growing baby needs food. now back to names We can always break tradition and not have a middle name or pick other names" Kate said before she took her second bite of the pastry.

"I don't know, my ego is liking the idea of my name enduring on" he said stroking his chin thoughtfully Kate chuckled as she put down her pastry to playfully shove his arm. Malcolm feigned a pained expression as if she hurt him.

The door to the room opened and the couple turned to see Taylor and Alicia come into the room with the twins.

"You know you guys don't have to visit us every day" Kate told them as she returned to eating her pastry like it was a challenge and not a pleasure. It was true that Alicia and Taylor made a daily visit with the twins for the past week in the hopes of keeping Kate's spirits up. For most part it worked but it was her nightmares that were getting to her and the medication making her feel miserable.

"You want us to go?" Taylor asked in good humour as he was happy either way but Alicia poked him in the side making him move.

"And not give me bonding time with my future daughter in law away? No way" Kate said with a smile as she took another bite of pastry.

"You really have to stop that" Malcolm told her as he referred to Kate's assumption that Ava and their boy would get married.

"Why? It's so much fun" Kate said teasingly to Malcolm, she offered him a bite of the pastry to which he indulged if only stop watching her torture herself sooner. She kissed him on the cheek before she turned her attention back to Alicia and Taylor who were settling into their chairs.

"You're both in good spirits" Taylor remarked as he noted that Kate was still pale but her eyes were brighter than the usua; glaze they had from the drugs. Malcolm was his usual self, Taylor was incredibly proud of the man as he knew it couldn't be easy for Malcolm handling Kate with her current state and his own injuries but he was hanging in there and didn't show any signs of fatigue.

"Well pain meds and doing nothing but sleeping and being lazy will do that" Malcolm said as he ran a hand down Kate's back as she sat up still eating her food. While Kate made a derisive noise and rolled her eyes at Malcolm.

"Please, he's doing work on his plex when he thinks I'm asleep" Kate said as she gave up the last bite of the pastry not able to stomach it.

"Well it's the only work I can do until I'm released next week" He told her. Kate's face fell a little but then she gave a tilt of the head as if she dismissed whatever thought had chased through her mind.

"I wasn't knocking it, I'm just saying you can't claim you're being lazy when you're still working" Kate told him as she ran a hand down his arm and interlaced her fingers with his. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand gently in his as a reassurance and comfort to her.

"She has a point" Taylor said as he readjusted Ella in his lap. He and Alicia had well and truly rejuvenated their sex life and marriage while they still have a few hiccups here and there for most parts it was good. He had made a start on cutting back his 70 hour week in the command centre to roughly 40 hour week something he had never done in his life but he like the change of priorities as he spent more time with his family. He felt incredibly spoilt and a little lazy for not spending so many hours in the command centre and it had only been one week.

"You're getting released early?" Alicia asked surprised they wouldn't keep Malcolm in the infirmary until he was fully recovered but then he had Dr Shannon as his doctor and she was a firm believer of slowly getting out of bed and back to life unlike Dr Hastings who was old school in his treatments which still perplexed her as Alicia prescribed to Elisabeth's methods. But then Every Doctor had different styles.

"Well when I say 'released' it's just half days to start. I want to get back on my feet as soon as possible and maintain a presence with my staff otherwise they'll run riot" Malcolm said.

"Which means we'll be able to talk about sex and girly stuff without him getting uncomfortable" Kate said to Alicia, Malcolm gave a closed smile as he rubbed the back of his neck from embarrassment and gave a shrug as if to say 'I'm not sorry, I don't want to hear that stuff'. Taylor was in the same boat with Malcolm as he would rather be blissfully ignorant to most of what Kate and Alicia discussed in their own time.

"That's good" Alicia said wriggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"So, did you bring something wonderfully delicious and not healthy for me to consume?" Kate asked with a hint of hope. Alicia chuckled as she reached into the satchel she brought with her and pulled out a thermos.

"Yes, it's probably still a little too hot too consume" Alicia said as she held Ava in one arm and placed the thermos on the table which Malcolm opened for them as he still have two functioning hands. He poured out a cup of the contents and aroma of miso soup filled the air.

"Oh, miso soup. I love you, marry me" Kate said to Alicia, she hadn't been allowed Miso soup due to it's high sodium levels or so Dr Hastings said thus not allowing her any of the foods she normally liked to ingest because of their sodium or sugar content.

"You're already married to me, remember?" Malcolm asked Kate in a mocking fashion.

"No divorces in Terra Nova" Taylor added.

"Not yet" Alicia said to stir the pot with the men.

"I still got a shot" Kate said as she shakily lifted the cup and took a sip giving a satisfied sigh as it tasted delicious and her body amazingly didn't revolt on it either.

"Meds still giving you grief?" Taylor asked watching the obvious muscle weakness, he and Alicia exchanged looks of concern as it was not easier to watch one of their friend's be so stricken health wise.

"Yes along with Dr Hastings dietary restrictions" Kate said before taking another long pull of her soup. She could feel the colour returning to her and her nausea subsiding for the first time since waking up in the infirmary. Alicia got up from her seat pulled the plex from the end of the bed and read Kate's charts.

"Well everything is looking good, though your iron levels are a little low but still within parameters" Alicia remarked before she slid it back into it's holder at the end of the bed.

"Hey would you be able bring me some more soup this week?" Kate asked, Alicia smiled as it wasn't the first time Kate asked for food. She felt the woman being on bed rest and not allowed to have any control on her diet or medication regime due to pressuring from her doctor.

"I'll bring you some of that weird rice soup like in the morning tomorrow, hopefully it will help settle your stomach" Alicia said as she moved to Kate and placed Ava in her lap and leaning into Kate's left arm. Kate smiled happily down at Ava and played with the baby's covered foot. Ava sat in Kate's lap and looked around the room with interest. He was amazed at how she and Ella had their own individual personalities so young. Ella was definitely the fussiest and she was very selective with who she would allow to hold her unlike Ava who didn't seem to mind as long as she was comfortable as long as she had a good view of the room.

"I assume you've spoken with Evan?" Taylor asked Malcolm. Normally he'd not discuss anything Lucas or Portal related around Kate but she was currently distracted with Ava making faces and talking to the baby girl while tugging on her foot and smiling that she wouldn't take too much notice of the conversation. Or so he hoped and if she wasn't he knew a cute baby was the quickest way to stop Kate from getting too upset with him as Alicia made a rule of no 'negative energy' around the children.

"Yes, he visited yesterday morning and we talked apparently the project it coming along well. He says the repairs are almost complete which means we're just waiting on the calculations to be finished" Malcolm said as he watched Kate with Ava, he knew talking about 2150 and anything Lucas related made her uncomfortable but he knew there was no other place for him and Taylor to have the conversation with some semblance of privacy either. Alicia sat in her chair looking relaxed as she listened.

"Same, you'll have to go out to where the rift is and use the Terminus to rope it in" Taylor said.

"No, you and Evan will. I'm not leaving the colony to go OTG for any length of time in the foreseeable future" Malcolm told Taylor.

"Why not?" Taylor asked

"I'm not going to risk the chance of missing out on watching my son be born" Malcolm said, Alicia smiled as it was rather touching that Malcolm would give up going OTG just on the slight chance he might miss something with Kate and her pregnancy.

"I wish I could" Kate said joining the conversation the others gave her an odd look of confusion. "Have you seen what a natural birth looks like? It's not pretty" Kate explained keeping her voice light and fun as she looked down at Ava who giggled and smiled at Kate's attention.

"I think it's different when you're having your own baby" Alicia offered, not that she could talk from experience but she hoped if they decided to have a third child she would be able to have a natural birth then.

"I don't know, it all kind of grosses me out at the moment" Kate said sceptically as she looked up and scrunched her nose while Malcolm, Taylor and Alicia smiled and chuckled at her.

"You're entitled to your opinion but I still want to be there and I am not leaving this colony just in case. Anyway you don't need me out there. I'll only get in the way" Malcolm said which was true between Evan and Lucas they had the project covered.

"We'll discuss it later down the track" Taylor said as he didn't like being dictated to. Something all of the people in the room knew very well.


	58. Chapter 58

"What time frame are we looking at for the calculations?" Evan asked Lucas a few days later. He watched the man pace his cell room that looked like it belonged to someone completely insane as the walls were covered in paper with calculations on them.

In fact Lucas looked more and more like a mentally unstable vagrant as his hair and beard had grown in. Apparently Taylor wasn't risking anything with Lucas not even a razor blade or Lucas just couldn't be bothered as his mentally stability was slowly eroding with being locked underground for such a long time or so Evan assumed as his fortnightly visits weren't enough to make a true assessment. There was also the fact that Evan didn't want to know.

"I'm not sure. I need my portable storage drive" Lucas said he saw the confusion on Evan's face "The weird purple box without seams" he told him, Lucas noted the same vague expression on Evan's face and realised he hadn't been informed about the box or knew anything about it.

"Why, you've been here for a few months and haven't needed it" Evan said as he was suspicious of everything Lucas requested. He had heard enough stories from people to take everything Lucas asked for or said to be treated as a double edged sword.

"Well it may be useless but it's for nostalgic purposes to help with my memory maybe spark something" Lucas told him.

"I'll talk to your father" Evan told him as he made moves to leave.

"How has my father been? I haven't seen him in for a long time" Lucas said making idle conversation. He hadn't seen his father in a few weeks or Mira for that fact and wondered what was going on. His guards wouldn't tell him anything as they kept their stony faces and did their duty of standing guard. The only person he did have contact with was Evan and even that was sporadic and rare.

"Busy" Evan said.

"I got that but usually he still stops by for a chat. What is going on?" Lucas asked.

"Do you actually care?" Evan asked him.

"No, not really I just felt the need for idle conversation that isn't with myself" Lucas told him.

"I'm sure but I'm not your buddy or your lackey who gets to be your eyes and ears to the outside world. I'm your boss or did you forget the part where you are a criminal earning his privileges? Because idle chatter about someone you obviously despise is counterproductive to your work" Evan told him as he got to his feet, he was ready to leave.

"I don't think so"

"I would disagree as I haven't seen any progress from your work. In fact I think your facial hair is progressing faster than your work" Evan told him in a droll tone as he moved to the door.

"You sound just like your sister" Lucas told him.

"I'll take that as a compliment as she is a highly decorated soldier who is the XO for the military contingent in Terra Nova. Quite an impressive position"

"I'm sure my father puts her in many impressive positions" Lucas drawled with a sick smile.

"First off that's disgusting and second I'm sure you have more important things to do than speculate your father's sex life" Evan said as he knocked on the door.

* * *

"Malcolm couldn't get away fast enough could he?" Kate asked Alicia a few days later, hating how needy and insecure she felt along with all her other woes. Malcolm had been released for a few hours and was off attending meetings and do some work. The beauty of 22nd Century medicine was that recovery time was cut down to half of the time with exception of broken bones. But a few broken ribs didn't stop a man from having a few meetings or so Malcolm said before he kissed Kate goodbye and left the room.

"I would say he was incredibly reluctant to leave, are you ok?" Alicia asked as she set up a cup of hot Zosui soup for Kate before she moved to Malcolm's side of the bed and sat next to Kate with the twins between them on pillows.

"I think he's tired of my fitful sleeping and the crying. I know I am" Kate mumbled as she took a sip of her soup. She knew she was sick of herself and could understand him wanting to escape her for a couple of hours.

"Kate, you're not that bad. Now, eat your soup it'll make you feel better. I added some ginger to help with the nausea" Alicia said as she watched Kate drink the Zosui soup and relax. Alicia had been bringing the soup with her every morning when she visited and it seemed to help Kate's appetite issues as the woman was having major issues with nausea besides the depression she was experiencing.

"You're here during the days, the drugs are making me have bad nightmares but Dr Hastings isn't listening to me" Kate said with a sigh.

"You're on a pretty low dose of medication so I can see why he doesn't agree with you" Alicia said.

"You're supposed to be taking my side" Kate said after swallowing some more of the rice porridge.

"I know but I decided I can only be Switzerland in this regard as I'm friends with Hastings. We went to medical school together, I ranked higher academically than him but you know someone has to be in second place" Alicia said smugly.

"Dr Smartypants" Kate said.

"That's you're nightmares are probably more psychological not pharmacological in nature" Alicia informed her.

"Thanks" Kate said in a dull voice.

"Look you've had a rough time-" Alicia started but Kate cut her off.

"I've had worse" Kate told her. Alicia offered an understanding smile as Kate drank some more of her soup she would soon have to change to a spoon to get the rest of the meat, rice and vegetables from the cup.

"I've been where you are. First pregnancy and realising you can't do crazy stunts where whether you live or die actually matters. Then there's all the hormones and the expectations of having your child feeling them alive in you" Alicia tickled Ella's stomach and smiled at her daughter "I know how real and scary it all feels to have your world go from invisible to incredibly fragile. It has a way of making all the bad memories rear their ugly little heads" Alicia told her.

"I feel haunted" Kate told her, Alicia looked up at Kate and saw the tears in her eyes.

"I know" Alicia said, anyone could just look at Kate and know that.

"But I can't share my little horror show with Malcolm" Kate said with a sigh as she placed the cup back on the tray table in front of her.

"Why not?" Alicia asked.

"He's so far removed from that world. I feel like we have this delicate balance of what he read and actually hears from my lips. You can read a book and that doesn't make it sink in like the cold reality of hearing someone tell you firsthand what it's like" Kate said in a low voice.

"I think you'd be surprised" Alicia told her in an equally low voice.

"I also don't want the pity" Kate said as she looked down at the twins who were staring back up at them.

"He wouldn't pity you Kate. I think you need to give him a little more credit, he can handle it and he loves you"

"I know"

"I'm not saying that talking about it will miraculously cure you but it might help. Tell me how's the soup?" Alicia asked her.

"Delicious, thank you" Kate said.

"You're welcome" Alicia told her.

"Malcolm said he's going to bring me Miso soup to have with my lunch"

"You're obsessed with that stuff. I'm amazed your blood isn't lightly diluted miso paste the way you eat it all the time"

"Hey Miso paste diluted with green tea and this kid was happily thriving on that mixture before all these stupid dietary restrictions for being preggers" Kate said with a smile so she didn't come off as grouchy as she felt. She knew what was right for her and apparently Dr Hastings felt it was all wrong.

"Oh yeah I forgot though all that caffiene in the first few weeks is probably why he's such an active little guy" Alicia said with a smile.

"Yeah probably. I could really go for a cup of green tea"

"Hmm I was the same with coffee"

"So you were so desperate you'd do anything for it?"

"Not that desperate"

"I'd lick your feet for a cup of green tea" Kate told her, Alicia gave an odd smile.

"I'm not sure whether I should be turned on by that or not" Alicia said chuckling as she lifted Ava who was getting restless and settled the baby girl so she sitting upright in her lap.

"I'd be turned on as you have no idea what I can do with my tongue" Kate told her as she gave a salacious smile and wriggling her eyebrows suggestively for a moment before they both burst out laughing.

* * *

"Out of the question, I don't even know what that box does and I don't trust my son's word that it's just a storage device. I've seen him use it to control the terminus" Taylor said to Evan. He, Malcolm and Evan were in the command centre catching up on the progress of Evan and Lucas's project. Evan had asked about the box that Lucas asked for and so Taylor indulged his brother in law with bringing it out the vault. He was hoping Evan might have seen it before and would know what to make of it.

"I assumed it wasn't. Have you tried to open it?" Evan asked the two men as he turned the box in his hands.

"No, locked by biometric security system. I apparently wasn't game to try and use Lucas's severed hand to open it in case it deleted the information stored in it" Malcolm said, he didn't like how he had to preface a lot of sentences with 'I apparently' because he couldn't actually remember. He also wasn't enjoying his short term release from the infirmary as it was too soon. He was taking his meds but they were a lower dose so he still had some aches and pains and tightness in muscles from lack of use. He also missed his wife which he felt was juvenile of him as she was only a 10 minute walk away and he'd see her in a few hours for lunch.

"Good point, it obviously this is a prototype of a new portable computer. I only heard rumours about it. I heard it was supposed to have amazing processing system and memory capacity and a nice holographic heads up display with internal wifi which would explain how it can connect with the Terminus. If so, we will just have to make sure the Terminus is set on a rotating frequency or isn't active while Lucas is using the device." Evan said still looking at the device.

"I believe you miss the whole point of it being 'out of the question'." Taylor remarked.

"I just want to finish this and have that fracture tethered and closed. Can't we just let this one slide and give him the purple box and get this finished?" Evan asked.

"Where are you in the repairs of the terminus?" Taylor asked with a sigh as he really didn't want to give Lucas anything that he'd have the potential to use against the colony. His son had damaged enough lives.

"Finished, I'm running diagnostics and making sure everything is in working order so it will take a couple of days. Hence we need to put a fire under Lucas" Evan said.

"Ok, fine. You two believe a rotating frequency will stop him from connecting to the terminus with the purple box?" Taylor asked the men.

"Should do. You should also factor in that he's also underground and a good distance from the terminus it will make it difficult if not impossible for him to try and connect with the Terminus" Malcolm offered.

"Ok he gets the box after the repairs are complete and I want the terminus offline until Lucas is finished and we are ready to go OTG. Is that understood?"

"Yes"

"Good" Taylor said in a tone that said they were also dismissed, the two got up from the guest chairs though Malcolm was a little slower in his movements and they left the command centre.

"You alright there Malcolm?" Evan asked as they made their way down the stairs, Evan couldn't help but imagine Malcolm at the age of seventy and hobbling around considering the way the man was moving now.

"Broken ribs aren't as much fun as people make them out to be" Malcolm said.

"Yeah, I know that well. How was Kate this morning with you leaving her by herself?" Evan asked as he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at how well Malcolm and Kate meshed in their relationship. That even though they were all broken and exhausted they were able to still have a sense of humour and show great care for one another. It made him missed the companionship that marriage and love offered.

"Good, she's still in the infirmary. You should drop by with the kids, I'm sure she'd be happy to see you and the kids as they didn't come last time" Malcolm said as they reached the end of the stairs and headed to the labs.

"I don't think she'll appreciate Olivia crawling all over her" Evan said, Malcolm chuckled.

"I spoke with Dr Hastings this morning before I left this morning and he wants to keep Kate on bed rest for 6 weeks because of her fractured ribs. So I'm sure she'll be a delighted for a vareity of visitors over the next few weeks though Olivia might have to be leashed" Malcolm said with a smile that was half forgiving and teasing.

"If only I could leash her" Evan said with a chuckle as he thought about his rambunctious little daughter. "Perhaps you should be on bed rest yourself" Evan said as he could see Malcolm was in pain as they walked across the main square heading the main research labs.

"I'm only doing half days and even then I might just do a turn of the labs and pick up more plex work before turning back to the infirmary" Malcolm said as he was already tired and ready to go back to lying down. He also had to admit he was enjoying lying about all day with Kate even with her emotionally fragile moments.

"So Kate hasn't driven you crazy yet?" Evan asked with a smile.

"No, she's perfect though she does have a touch of cabin fever and it doesn't help that she and Dr Hastings don't get along"

"I thought Dr Shannon was her doctor" Evan said.

"Normally Elisabeth is but Dr Hastings is in charge and he believes in consistant care. He treated Kate when she came in and wants to see her through her treatment and recovery. So between the friction of Hastings and Kate and having machines beep and staff walking in and out of the room it's not exactly helping Kate's general disposition" Malcolm said.

"Yes I can see how that and your injuries could hamper any relaxing activities and I'm pretty sure the infirmary staff would be disapproving of any bedroom related activities that would make the vital monitors spike" Evan said with a chuckle.

"Yes, you would think they had seen all before" Malcolm quipped. Evan laughed as he pushed open the door and held it as Malcolm walked into the labs.

"Oh Dr Wallace it's so good to see you back on your feet" Dr Haynes said rushing towards Malcolm and Evan, the men steeled themselves as they knew it would take a lot strength to endure Dr Haynes.

"Dr Haynes I appreciate your sentiments but we aren't scheduled for a meeting this week" Malcolm said or the next few months he added silently as he hoped she would take a hint and leave. He didn't want to put up with her overtures. Haynes smiled purposefully ignoring his hint.

"I know but I just had to see you for myself and you weren't allowing visitors in the infirmary but I-"

"My wife Kate is still not up to having visitors other than close friends and family" Malcolm said he emphasised 'wife' so it clear to Haynes didn't make any assumptions about her position with him.

"Besides Commander Taylor, Lt Washington and their twins? And Evan he's visited you too. Aren't we close friends? we've known each other for years" Haynes asked him with a smile.

"No, we are not close friends. I am your boss our relationship is purely professional. I have never misled you in that regard but if you feel I have then I suggest we have a sit down with Commander Taylor and we can make new arrangements suitable for you" Malcolm said in a clipped and professional tone.

"Oh that won't be necessary" Dr Haynes said ducking her head slightly and looking well put in her place.

"Well then if you'll excuse us, Dr Washington and I have a scheduled meeting" Malcolm said, Dr Haynes took her cue for the first time since he could recall and left the labs.

"Wow I'm impressed" Evan said, as he had never seen Haynes leave a room so quickly.

"Really?" Malcolm asked.

"That was cut throat looks like Kate's rubbing off on you" Evan said with an amused expression.

"I'm sure she'll be proud" Malcolm said dryly.

"Considering it's Haynes? definitely will earn you some brownie points" Evan said.

"I think I'll garner more brownie points with miso soup than with putting Haynes in her place." Malcolm said.

* * *

"Bed rest for 6 weeks which-"

"What? Why? You said everything is fine" Kate said cutting off Dr Hastings as he and Elisabeth had been giving her a rundown of her recovery schedule. What she wanted seemed to be the opposite of what Dr Hastings wanted. Elisabeth apparently was in the room to witness Kate's 'hostile' behaviour in case she wanted to complain to Taylor later not to have a say in anything.

Kate had wished Taylor and Alicia had stayed to be her witnesses but it was too late to ask them back and anyway from the looks Taylor was shooting Alicia it looked like the twins were going to have an early lunch and nap while Mummy and Daddy had an afternoon delight. It was good to know Alicia and Taylor were getting along better and Alicia looked happier which made Kate happy.

"Yes, every thing is fine with the baby but you on the other hand" Hastings made a face "Are in a lot worse shape with broken ribs and shoulder along with other contributing factors" Hastings told her.

"What other contributing factors?" Kate asked him.

"You've been under a lot of stress, not sleeping well and you're depressed" Hastings said.

"I'm not depressed" Kate said firmly, she'd admit she was having her ups and downs but didn't like being labelled as depressed. Elisabeth didn't agree with Hastings diagnosis either but he was second in charge of the infirmary.

"Your prolactin levels say differently" Dr Hastings remarked looking at the blood test results on his hand held plex.

"Do you concur with him?" Kate asked Elisabeth.

"There is research that suggests that patients with high levels of prolactin may suffer from Anxiety, depression and many other conditions but it's not something we use as a criterion to make such a diagnosis" Elisabeth said diplomatically. She slid a look at Dr Hastings to see him shift slightly and looked displeased at Elisabeth speaking up. Elisabeth was already in a precarious position as Dr Hastings was threatening to right her up for several infractions and have her fired. She wasn't worried about her job as Taylor would never let her go she was too good of a doctor to have sitting around unemployed but she was concerned about Dr Hastings patients namely Kate.

"Look I understand you're pregnant-" Dr Hastings started only for Kate to interrupt him.

"I'm sure you understand because you've pop kids outta your special place in your spare time as a hobby right?" Kate asked him sarcastically. Elisabeth smothered a smile as Dr Hastings took the comment in his stride.

"I had kidney stones once. I'm told it's similiar" he said with a slight smile as if it were the same thing before he looked down at his hand held plex and continued. "Anyway, you need to be monitored and kept on a strict medication regime which We all know you won't take unless you are here with an IV in your arm" he told her.

"Don't use the royal 'we' when I have been taking my prenatal vitamins and looking after myself very well. Now what I need is fresh air, sunshine and my own bed. Time to relax and centre myself-" Kate started but he cut her off before she said 'not your stupid drug regime'.

"How very new age of you" he remarked in a patronizing tone.

"I do yoga" Kate said fighting the urge to flip him the bird. She couldn't understand why they didn't get along better. She had apologised for nearly strangling him and being a bitch but he just had a way about him that kept making her hostile.

"Good for you, still doesn't change that you'll be here for 6 weeks and I wasn't referring to your prenatal vitamins regime" Dr Hastings said.

"You know your bedside manner sucks and I'm still wondering why I can't have Dr Shannon as my doctor" Kate told him.

"Because I am your attending physician" he told her in a dull tone as they had been over this many times.

"Then trade places, hand over my case I don't care as long as you get out of my room" Kate told him as her patience was lost for the day.

"We've been over this-"

"No, you dictated your terms to me like I'm a small child and have been patronizing me for the past week and I've here taking the meds and trying to keep a civil tongue cause I thought you being an asshole was just an occupational thing but no it's just you and whatever reason you don't like me or trust me to look after myself."

"Are you suggesting-"

"That you're an asshole because I made that pretty clear." Kate said with a groan as her head spun when she leaned forward. She pulled the blankets off her legs and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"What are you doing?" Elisabeth asked her.

"I'm going home, I'm not going to be treated by a doctor who will patronize me and try to make me feel like the dirt on his boots. Give me drugs that I don't want which make me feel miserable and ill" Kate said as she pulled off the heart monitor and unplugged her IV drip.

"Get back into bed. We can find a compromise" Elisabeth told her in a placating tone.

"Hell no" Kate said.

"You heard Dr Shannon, if you leave that bed then you are going against medical advice" Dr Hastings told Kate. Elisabeth shot Dr Hastings a look that said 'you're not helping' before turning her attention back to Kate.

"Then I'll sign an A.M.A. form" Kate said.

"I will sedate you Kate" Elisabeth said.

"No you won't because you actually listen to your patients and adhere to their wishes" Kate told her as she slid to her feet and took a tentative step forward. It was hard to walk with the leftovers of her last dose still running through her. She couldn't feel her body, it was like it was she was in a bubble. So she focused on the information her eyes were giving her as they were the only part of her semi functioning.

"Kate, I know but you're in no condition to be walking around" Elisabeth said.

"Let her go Dr Shannon" Dr Hastings said. Elisabeth looked to him shocked he would even allow a patient in Kate's state to walk around let alone out of the infirmary. "If Kate wants to leave then it is her decision. Now step aside" he added as he moved forward to Kate.

He pulled out his hand held plex and a stylus and held it out to Kate. "I'll need your signature" he told Kate, she took the plex and placed it on the tray table and took the stylus and haphazardly signed with her left hand. It was barely a scribble just a stroke with a wiggle in it. She picked up the plex and before Hastings could stop her she dropped it into her water jug. The plex fried and fizzled in the water as Kate walked out of the room at a slow pace.

"Real mature" Dr Hastings said as he pulled the plex from the water jug. He should have seen it coming, he turned his attention to see Elisabeth follow Kate out of the infirmary door. So he left the plex and followed them as he decided it was time for Kate to learn a lesson.

He grabbed Elisabeth by the upper arm and pulled her back away from Kate. "I told you to stand down. Your insubordination knows no bounds" he said to her. Elisabeth looked at him incredulously.

"You can't let her walk out of the infirmary-"

"Sometimes a patient has to hit rock bottom before they accept that they need help" Hastings told Elisabeth as grabbed her arm to stop her from going to Kate who was swerving her way slowly to the door like someone who had one too many drinks.

"Maybe that is your idea of patient treatment but it's not mine" Elisabeth said as she tried to shuck his hand but he kept his grip.

"Noted but she's acting as though she's privileged" Dr Hastings told her.

"No she isn't, she is acting like a person who wants to be anywhere but here. Something you should be able to recognise from your many years working in a Military hospital. You don't like her because she has been second guessing your work" Elisabeth said in a low voice trying to not make anymore of a show.

"My ego can take a little second guessing but I will not be dressed down like an intern by an ex-mercenary who is too stubborn to see the reality of her situation. When she falls over not if but when she falls to the ground in a heap we'll get a couple of soldiers to carry her back" Hasting told her.

"You really are an asshole" Elisabeth told him.

"Please you only feel that way because you, Commander Taylor and Lt Washington and half the colony treat her like she walks on water. When all she did was kill a few people who we didn't like"

"She is my friend and we treat her as an equal as we would like to be treated. Now remove your hand" Elisabeth told him in a cold and dark tone.

* * *

"We'll call a meeting with- what the hell is going on there?" Taylor asked Jim as they were heading over to the west side of the colony to deal with a power distribution issue. Taylor wanted to deal with it after lunch but Jim had assured him it would be quick. Alicia told him she'd hold lunch until he got back. They were just on the outskirts of the main square when Taylor's eyes landed Kate who was supposed to be in the infirmary resting not hobbling away from said infirmary.

"I have no idea" Jim said as they continued down the stairs and walked over to where Kate was, He saw his wife a few steps away bickering with Dr Hastings which was unlike them as they usually got on like a house on fire.

"Lovely afternoon for a walk, though this gravel has to be hell on your feet" Jim commented as he and Taylor exchanged looks. Jim noticed Dr Hastings grab his wife's arm and frowned as he didn't like the energy between the two or the Doctor touching his wife.

"Yeah well I'd walk through broken glass to get away from that place" Kate said waving a hand that they all took for the direction of the Infirmary.

"Shannon get your wife and Dr Hastings over here to explain themselves" Taylor said as he stepped in front of Kate to block her path. Jim gave a nod before leaving them.

"Kate you want to explain yourself?" Taylor asked as he looked her over, her eyes were blood shot and had tears ready to fall. Her hair was a dishevelled mess and she wore the white infirmary scrubs the patients wore it made emphasised her pregnant stomach and it was surprised at how big she was for 21 weeks as it was hard to tell with lying down but easier now she was standing up and walking around. 'Around' being an accurate term as she looked incredibly disoriented as she was swaying rather dangerously on her feet as she walked.

"I'm going home, I'm finished convalescing in the infirmary" Kate told as she came to a stop in front of him and nearly fell backwards but Taylor caught her by the elbow and steadied her.

"Has the Doctor cleared you?" he asked as he tried to catch her eyes, he knew it was a stupid question but felt he should cover his bases.

"No" she told him.

"Then you're not going anywhere but back to the infirmary" He told her she shook her head.

"No I'm going home" She told him as she tried to free her arm but he kept a hold on it as he was more concerned about her falling over.

"Your house is still under repairs" he informed her as he wanted to reason with her before strong arming her. He really wished she looked a little less strung out as she gave a half shrug.

"I don't care" she told him.

"Look at me" he told her and she did as he asked and locked eyes with him. "If you don't turn around right now and go back to that infirmary I will throw you over my shoulder and take you back" Taylor told her in a serious tone.

"I'm tired of that place" she said in an exhausted tone. It was the kind of exhaustion that sounded bone deep.

"I don't care, you're no condition to be anywhere but in bed in the infirmary" he told her as if she were an errant child.

"I've been in worse condition before" She told him it was her most overused excuse along with 'I need a break'.

"No you haven't" Taylor told her, Kate closed her eyes and tears streaked down her face as she swayed on feet. He gave her a moment to process and collect herself. He knew what he was doing was harsh but someone had to tell her put her in her place. "You've been worse physically but mentally and emotionally this is the worse I've ever seen you." he told her in a low voice.

"Maybe you're right but I don't want to go back. I've been kicked around enough these past few weeks that I-"

"Need a break" he finished for her.

"Yes" she said looking down at the gun strapped to his chest. She was exhausted from just standing there. She was sure she could have made it home if she had kept up her pace up instead of stopping. Taylor touched her chin and lifted it so he could look her in the eyes.

"You've been saying that a lot these past couple of months and if you in any shape I'd take you OTG for R&R myself but you're physical state wouldn't be able to hack it. So instead you're going to go back to the infirmary. Do you want to walk or am I going to carry you?" he asked her.

"I can walk" She answered in a hushed voice. Taylor gave a nod and dropped his hand from her chin. He noted Jim and the two doctors nearing them.

"Ok, Shannon is going to take you back to the infirmary while I talk with your doctors about what I consider to be appropiate and inappropiate patient care" He said as Jim stepped forward he had gone to reach for her arm but she waved him away as she turned around headed back to the infirmary.


	59. Chapter 59

_A/N: Still not a doctor or a psychologist but I can say I do know what broken and dislocated bones feel like so yes it is really uncomfortable to lie on your side with broken ribs it can be done just not for long periods of time unless you're pain killers and asleep ... :-)_

* * *

Taylor looked to the Doctors before him as Kate and Jim disappeared into the infirmary. He was not impressed with how his lunch hour was shaping out.

"In my office now, unless you prefer to talk out here with an audience" Taylor said to them in a patronizing manner as he was at the end of his patience since he was hungry and thinking of what he wanted to do with Alicia than dealing with the incompetency of the medical staff.

"I would prefer we not talk Commander as this was a one off situation that I'll admit got out of hand" Dr Hasting admitted though he didn't look the least bit repentant about it.

"How obliging of you to admit your faults but it doesn't excuse you from explaining to me what happened" Taylor said, he kept his tone professional and calm as he wasn't in the mood to shout and make a scene. It also learned that sometimes it was more effective to appear disappointed than show full blown outrage.

"Deputy Renshaw is an abrasive patient who disliked her current treatment and instead of discussing about it in a constructive manner she decided to be rude and leave the infirmary" Hasting explained to him it was the first time the doctor had ever spoken to Taylor in such a patronizing manner.

"Do I look like I came down in the last shower to you Doctor?" Taylor asked.

"No" Hastings replied.

"Then why don't you cut the crap and tell me what happened so I can go back to my lunch" Taylor said, he looked between the two wondering if they were both covering for one another as Elisabeth was not one to keep quiet when she felt like someone was being mistreated.

"I don't see why I should have to tell you more than I already have. I don't answer to you I answer to Dr Wallace" Dr Hastings said in an impertinent manner that truly rubbed Taylor the wrong way.

"Who answers to me but I'm sure he'll love hearing why you allowed his injured and very pregnant wife to leave the infirmary while hopped up on medication to wander the colony. Dr Shannon perhaps you'd care enlighten me" Taylor said looking to Elisabeth he was amazed at how much of a horrible liar the doctors were but knew Elisabeth would give him answers instead of beating around the bush.

"It is true Kate has been abrasive but then she has been quite ill from the side effects of the medication so it couldn't be helped-"

"I hate sticking my nose in this mess but I know she's asked repeatedly to be taken off the meds why haven't you considered a different treatment method that is drug free or medication?" Taylor asked as he realised that Elisabeth was trying to be diplomatic so obviously there was something wrong in the department. He knew Malcolm ran a tight ship but obviously the situation with the killer and Kate's stress levels in addition to her pregnancy were taking it's toll.

"Because of her unique physiology she's sensitive to a lot of our synthesised medicines. There's noth-" Dr Hastings started only for Elisabeth to interrupt.

"I've been researching the database and talking with one of the biochemists about synthesising a different medication for her this past week" Elisabeth said Taylor could see Dr Hasting's tight lipped expression that he didn't appreciate Elisabeth cutting him off.

"Is it ready?" Taylor asked.

"Not yet" Elisabeth lied, the truth was the medication was ready to go but Hastings had vetoed the idea as he felt it was 'too risky' she had thought he was over cautious but now she knew better he didn't care. He just wanted to make Kate suffer because of her past choices. It was wrong as Doctors were supposed to treat their patients without bringing their personal bias into the equation.

But she still had to work with him for many years to come so it would do neither of them any good if she ratted him. Instead she would try to maintain the delicate peace between them and figure out ways to work around him. Luckily for Kate her leaving the infirmary was her best move.

"Then get on it and Dr Hastings perhaps it's time you allow Dr Shannon to take over Kate's patient care." Taylor suggested but his tone made it very clear it was more of an order than a suggestion.

* * *

"You seriously thought you could walk home in your condition?" Jim asked Kate in a sceptical tone as they walked into the private room. Kate let go of his arm that she had been using to support herself on the walk back and moved to the bed. She still wished she had gone home but welcomed the bed as she needed to lie down.

"Just because I'm pregnant doesn't make me an invalid" Kate said as she slowly got into bed. She noted that the place had been tidied and her carafe of water refilled and the plex she had drowned was gone.

"I was talking about the broken bones not the current occupation of your uterus" Jim said as he lifted her legs up into the bed and covered her legs with the blanket.

"Hey nice memory recall" Kate said as it was one of her running jokes of being pregnant. She rubbed her stomach in a manner that was becoming habit to soothe herself more than the baby that was moving inside of her. It was still a very alien feeling to her.

"Yeah but I feel uncomfortable talking about your special lady place" Jim said making a face. He made sure she was comfortable before stepping back.

"My special lady place, I prefer uterus as it doesn't sound like a poorly named strip club or brothel" Kate said as she relaxed back into the pillows.

"All comfy now?" Jim asked her with a half smile. It was like tucking one of his kids into bed kind of moments except Kate wasn't his kid which he was glad for as he was way too young to be a grandfather and to have Malcolm as a son in law. Just the thought gave him shivers.

"You going to tell me a bed time story?" Kate asked in a mockingly sweet voice.

"It's nearly lunch don't you want to stay up for your miso soup?" Jim asked her in an equally mocking manner as they had donned some odd parent and child façade. Kate looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Hmm good point, which reminds me Malcolm isn't going to be happy with my little walk" Kate said as she sunk lower into the bed.

"If it helps I won't tell him about your little stroll" Jim said.

"Cheers but I'm sure he'll hear all about it from Dr Hastings" Kate drawled darkly, she wanted to continue cursing the doctor when Elisabeth came into the room with Malcolm two steps behind her.

"Hey you're back early" Kate said to Malcolm with a smile.

"Yes and I come bearing Lunch and Miso Soup" Malcolm told her as he came in with a bag. He placed the bag on her tray table and wheeled it over before he leaned over her and kissed her on the lips briefly in greeting before stepping back.

"I was just telling Malcolm that I was about to take out your IV line out" Elisabeth said.

"I'll get out of your way" Malcolm said as he moved to the other side. Elisabeth moved forward and much to Kate's surprise did as she said she would and took out the catheter and then applied derma spray to the site so it healed immediately.

"Thanks" Kate said feeling confused by what was happening, Elisabeth smiled.

"You're welcome. Just remember to keep up the fluids and if you need a dose of pain killer before dinner let me know" Elisabeth told her.

"Well I'm done entertaining here, how about you?" Jim asked his wife.

"Yes, you two enjoy your lunch" Elisabeth said and with that they left the room. Kate looked to Malcolm and smiled as she was off the IV and Malcolm was back early looking like he missed her. She had missed him and tugged on the pocket of his shirt getting his attention.

"Hey I missed you for those long hours you were off working" She told him with a goofy smile. Malcolm smiled at her.

"Really? Jim didn't entertain you?" He asked as he caught her hand and planted a kiss on the palm of her hand. He didn't miss the fact she looked exhausted and wondered if she was pushing herself too hard socialing with Alicia and her kids as well as Jim.

"He's not so good with the entertainment" Kate said with a shrug.

"Do I want to know what his idea of entertainment is? Actually don't tell me" Malcolm said as he pulled out the food from the bag and place it on the table.

"So you don't want to know how he did an interpretive dance of the colonisation of Terra Nova completely starkers?" Kate joked in an innocent manner as she picked up a fork. She wasn't hungry in fact she felt completely rotten but knew the food would help her feel better if only a little bit. Malcolm made a derisive noise as he pulled the lid off her miso soup.

"No, I don't need those mental images. Now drink your soup" he told her. Kate laughed as she took the soup from him.

* * *

Lucas looked down at the papers on his desk and the words, angry as he couldn't finish the calculations. There was no solutions, he felt like he was no better than a slave and all his hard work was for nothing. What was he getting? An upgrade in accommodation? So he went from rotting in one hole to another. This was not how he pictured his life going, he didn't want to die the brig and he couldn't live the rest of his life in the brig either.

He threw the papers down on the table and stood up from his chair. He started pacing as he went over how all his plans in life had led him to failure. He didn't even recognise the face he saw in the mirror when he was allowed to look. But he hated it. He wanted to rewind back to the Occupation and do it all differently. He should have destroyed the colony and hunted his father down instead of keeping trophies and waiting for his father to come to him.

He couldn't understand how he had failed so miserably. Memories of his discussions with Escher ran through his mind, he looked at the stump where his hand used to be and it tingled reminding him that his hand was gone. Yet another thing he wanted along with a haircut, a shave and privacy when he showered.

He still remembered the pain but he also remembered everything the man told him as he tortured him. He extracted information from Lucas that he had never told anyone. All because Lucas wanted the pain to stop, he was so deluded in thinking he was stronger but he wasn't. He looked around at the room at his life's work and realised that it all amounted to nothing. The realisation made him feel incredibly hollow and angry.

* * *

"I thought I was going have to eat without you" Alicia said by the time Taylor came back to the house.

"Looks like everyone's having lunch but us" He said as Alicia was placing Ella down for a nap next to her sister in the crib. He wished he had been home to help as he liked watching Alicia breastfeed the twins and holding his children even when they burping up milk. He loved any and every moment he spent with them as the impending doom he felt about being a father and rearing another round of kids who would end up like Lucas had disappeared the moment he first held them in his arms.

The twins and Alicia were like a precious gift he didn't deserve but he loved and accepted completely without question.

"I take it things took a little longer than usual" Alicia said, he noticed she had changed into a kaftan style dress that ended mid thigh. Her hair out loose it was enough to lift his mood and make him hungry for something other than a sandwich as he thought about those legs wrapped around his hips.

"And then some. Let's eat" he said as he kicked off his boots and moved into the kitchen. He pulled out the carafe of water from the fridge and picked up two glasses taking them to the table, while Alicia brought out the sandwiches she had made and moved to the table.

"Want to tell me what's got you in a grumpy mood?" Alicia asked him.

"Doc Hastings" he said sat down opposite her and poured out two glasses of water for them.

"Really?" She asked as she took her seat.

"I know he's the last man I expected to get up my craw but he did today" Taylor said before taking a long pull of his water.

"Are you drinking Kate's Kool-aid? Just because she doesn't like him doesn't mean you have to" Alicia teased him.

"He's lucky we have no lawyers otherwise I'm sure Malcolm would sue him for malpractice" Taylor said as he picked up his sandwich and started to eat it.

"Ok colour me curious. What happened?" Alicia asked as she took a bite of her lunch, she knew it had to be pretty serious since Taylor had to step in. She wondered where Malcolm was in on all this mess.

"Kate tried to go AWOL" Taylor said, that caught her attention. She looked at him pointedly and swallowed her food before she spoke.

"Seriously? I amazed she can even walk considering how the meds have been screwing her up" Alicia said, amazed barely covered it as Alicia knew Kate struggled with just sitting up and picking things up when the dose was fresh.

"Well when I say walking she was actually weaving on her feet like she had one too many. I'm amazed she didn't face plant onto the ground if she had it would have been a lot worse" Taylor said between bites of his sandwich.

"So what happened and where was Malcolm?" Alicia asked.

"I assume he was in the labs with Evan. As for Kate, I ordered her to go back to bed. Doc Hastings has wisely agreed to hand Kate's care to Doc Shannon considering they had more history with one another hopefully it will resolve the issue"

"And what about the main reason you left?" Alicia asked.

"It was fixed before we got there. A wasted venture" Taylor said before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Shame, so do you have to go back to the office right away?" Alicia asked. Taylor perked up at her voice as it sounded like she had something in mind. He looked at his wife with raised eyebrows.

"Why? What do you have in mind?" he asked her as he licked his lips and waited for her answer. They locked eyes and he knew in an instant what she was thinking with one look. One look that made him go from zero to sixty.

"Well, someone did promise to have his way with me on the kitchen counter and since I'm so conveniently naked under this dress" Alicia said casually while her smile was playful. Taylor half groan and chuckled as his mind immediately filled with erotic images of her naked on the counter saying his name in that breathy and sexy way she did as she tried to stay quiet.

"Can I finish my sandwich first?" he asked as he knew he would need the fuel to do Alicia and his imagination justice on performing that sexual interlude.

* * *

"You're more yourself this afternoon than you have been since you woke up here" he told Kate. She seemed to be far more relaxed now the IV was out and no heart monitor strapped to her chest. He had to admit it was nice not having the vitals monitor making noise every second. He had been half reading his plex and watching Kate for the afternoon. She had been dozing on and off but now as dinner drew near she looked pleasantly awake than drawn as she had been for the past week.

"I just feel better" she said with a sigh as she turned her head to look at him. She smiled and grabbed his hand placing it on her stomach. He felt the movements through her stomach.

"He's very active in there" he said, he loved feeling his son's activities and had to agree with Kate that his movements had definitely perked up as much as Kate had now they were no longer on the IV drip and medication.

"Uhuh, the drugs have worn off" Kate said she winced slightly as she shifted in the bed and turned onto her good shoulder so she could face him.

"Do you want me to get Elisabeth?" He asked noting the slight pain etched on her face. She shook her head and the pain disappeared and he saw her leg appear from under the blankets and go over his lap as he was still wearing his 'day' clothing of a button down shirt and cargo pants while Kate was in scrubs. He wished she had a hospital gown on instead so there would less obstacles between them.

"No, I'm fine. It's really nice to be clear headed and a little frisky" she said with a salacious smile.

"Really? I hadn't noticed" he said mockingly as he caught her leg and ran his hand slowly up her calf muscle. She hummed in pleasure and Malcolm fought the urge not to laugh as how easily pleased Kate was at the most innocuous of touches.

"I'm not asking you to throw over a leg yet" Kate said her smile growing wide.

"Why would you when you've already have one over me" he said grinning in good humour at her. He placed the plex he had been reading to the side so he could give her his full attention.

"Maybe I just want a massage all this laying around is making me ache" Kate said with a slight groan that was partly from pain and pleasure. It was definitely time for her to have some food and medication.

"for many things?" He asked eluding sex and other intimacies they couldn't freely indulge in the infirmary.

"That and just plain muscle aches" She told him. Malcolm made an 'ah ha' expression. He turned on his side while he kept a hold on her leg.

"Tell me which muscles I should start with and I'll do my best" He said in a husky tone as moved closer to her pulling her leg over his hip, his hand travelling up her thigh. She grabbed the front of his shirt pulling on the buttons.

"You know it's not always about me" Kate said.

"But I like focussing on you" He told her.

"Maybe I want to focus on you for a while-" She stopped with grin when the door to the room opened up he immediately wished the door had remained closed so he could hear the rest of the sentence. Kate cleared her throat and looked over her shoulder to Elisabeth who came in with the nurse who had their dinner for them.

"I see you're both keeping yourselves entertained" Elisabeth said in a light and teasing tone.

"I had a leg cramp" Kate said making excuses but her smile said something entirely different.

"Obviously" Elisabeth said in a rich tone as she didn't believe Kate's lie for a second. Kate rolled onto her back as did Malcolm so they were both looking at Elisabeth and in a less intimate position as it was now dinner time.

"Here, I have your new medication" Elisabeth said handing Kate a small plastic cup with two small tablets inside. Kate looked at the cup and it's contents with a wary look.

"What is it?" Kate asked wanting more of an explanation than 'your new medication'.

"Low dosage of an alternative form pain medication and sedatives, enough to just relax you and hopefully not too much to make you unbalanced and you might not be completely pain free as this is experimental" Elisabeth said.

"Experimental how?" Malcolm asked after he thanked the nurse who placed his dinner tray on a table and wheeled it to him.

"It's different chemical map to the last medication but it's still safe for pregnant women to have. It's actually considerably lower than what I'd prescribe to a pregnant woman with broken bones but Kate's physiology is a little more sensitive as we all know. So when I say 'experimental' I'm really only saying that it's experimental for Kate not pregnant women in general" Elisabeth assured them both.

"I feel so special" Kate said dryly. Elisabeth gave a smile.

"I'm hoping you'll fair a little better on this medication. So take the tablets and we'll compare notes in the morning and see if we need to make more adjustments or change completely" Elisabeth told her in a patient and warm tone. Kate gave a nod and downed the two tiny tablets with water before handing the empty cup back to Elisabeth.

"Good, now I'll let you two enjoy your dinner and remember if you start to feel any adverse effects-" Elisabeth started but Kate cut her off.

"I'll holler or Malcolm will. Have a goodnight and see you tomorrow" Kate said with a smile.

"Willl do and remember the nurse will be back to retrieve the trays and night rounds are at 9 so try to remember you're injured and not to get up to too much mischief" Elisabeth said cheekily before she and the nurse left the room. Kate looked to Malcolm once the door was closed.

"She makes it sound like we are contortionists" Kate said rolling her eyes as she picked up her fork and used it to mix up her dinner.

"I don't know you are very flexible" he told her, she smiled as she continued to mix up her food a light blush gracing her cheeks.

* * *

Lucas paced the brig late that night, he just couldn't sleep as his mind kept reminding him of what a failure he was, his nightmares filled with Escher torturing him mixed in with memories of Kate. Sometimes it wasn't Escher standing over him but her. She looked down at him with her cold eyes and belittling him just as Escher did. Telling him that he was not the man he thought he was, he was a failure who spent so much of his life dedicated to destroying his father and only managed to temporarily knock the old man off his pedestal. It barely took his old man a fortnight to reclaim his throne.

The more he went over his time with Escher and then his experience with Kate. He couldn't understand how she never begged with exception of one time for his to spare her. No, she only begged when another life was on the line and it was Malcolm Wallace of all people. The sacrifice wasn't even worth it in his mind but then it wasn't like he had better taste. The one girl he flirted with shot him twice in the chest.

He survived, he didn't know how he kept surviving but it's not like his life improved he just kept on suffering it was like a bad joke. He looked around the room and it just made him snap. He moved to walls and started tearing them down from the walls.

* * *

"If you pick that up I will kick your ass" Alicia told him, she was wound tighter than a clock by Taylor and his teasing foreplay as he wanted to make love to her slowly. She didn't mind that in fact she loved it, in fact she had been 3/4 of the way to her third orgasm but what she didn't love was that he had stopped his ministrations when they heard his comm. unit buzzing on the coffee table. She could barely remember her own name with what Taylor was doing yet he was distracted by a bloody comm. unit.

"If I don't answer they'll come knocking and wake the twins" Taylor said he groaned pressing his forehead on hers. They both knew this was a fact and Alicia would rather he pick up the comm. than have the twins wake up especially since it took her a lot of effort to be quiet.

"Ok go" she told him, Taylor wished he had turned off his comm. unit when he came home for dinner. He didn't like being interrupted and here he was hard and to hilt in Alicia something he had been missing for months and only now finally being able to enjoy again only to be interrupted.

"I can't believe this" Alicia said as she gave a breathy laugh as she was still catching her breath. Taylor smiled and shook his head as he turned his head and kissed the knee of the leg he had over his shoulder. He slowly lowered it off his shoulder and gave her the most apologetic look he could muster as he felt more sorry for himself than Alicia.

"I'm lucky you love me so much" he said as he withdrew himself from her and the bed. He was sure any other woman would be completely offended but Alicia while he was sure was offended understood he had responsibilities that sometimes couldn't be ignored even for his own gratification.

"Damn right you are" She said laughing at the situation as she really couldn't be angry at him. Taylor pulled on his boxer briefs and turned crawled back over her.

"I'll make it up to you" he told her looking down at her.

"I know you will" She said, he captured her lips in a possessive kiss before he withdrew himself the bedroom to go answer the Comm. unit that was still buzzing in the lounge room. Alicia rubbed a hand down her face as she listed to taylor's voice as he spoke.

"Taylor here" Taylor said gruffly. Alicia pulled a sheet to cover herself as she watch him with amusement as he was looking down at his erection with annoyance.

_"Sorry for waking you up sir but I had to inform you Lucas has been taken to the Infirmary" _Guzman said over the comm. line. Taylor's head snapped up at the news.

"What happened?" Taylor asked.

_"He attempted suicide, the doctors are working on him now" _Guzman told him. Taylor cursed under his breath and winced as he had to go. He looked to Alicia trying to gage her emotions as he knew she wouldn't be impressed even if Lucas was in crisis there was too much bad blood for Alicia to be sympathetic. She had a passive expression but held his gaze, she was not giving him anything so he took it as a good sign.

"I'm on my way, Taylor out" Taylor said he closed the channel and moved back to the bedroom where Alicia was still lying on the bed with a sheet covering her. "I have to go" he told her. She gave a nod trying to be understanding.

"I know, I heard just promise me he has the bed the furthest away from Kate's room" Alicia told him as she watched him toss on his clothes. Once dressed he leaned over her again.

"I don't know how long I'll be. So don't wait up" he told her. Alicia gave a nod as she levered herself up on her elbows to meet him half way for a soft kiss.

* * *

_TBC-Cya all soon!_


	60. Chapter 60

_A/N: Only one chapter this time busy masters schedule and muse has decided to take a small vacation... Please Enjoy!_

* * *

Guzman and Jim watched over the infirmary bed where Dr Shannon and Hastings were working hard to stabilise Lucas, the man had stabbed himself in the neck with a pencil. Apparently he had nicked a major artery which explained the copious amount of blood. He felt like an asshole but he fervently wished Taylor's son would just die and let them all have a little peace back into their lives.

Guzman caught movement at his left in his peripheral vision and turned out of habit and saw Kate ambling their way. Guzman looked back to Jim and they exchanged looks before moving towards Kate.

They noticed her eyes were glassy as she walked toward them. Her hair mussed and her scrubs slightly askew as she had probably just rolled out of bed without bothering to straighten her clothing. She seemed completely oblivious to what was going on as she walked right by them without even stopping to say 'hello' or even check out all the noise and action around Lucas.

"I'm going to follow her. Just to make sure she's ok" Jim said as he didn't what to make of their odd encounter. Guzman raised a hand as if to say 'go for your life' or at least that's how Jim interpreted it as he left Guzman and slowly followed Kate to wherever she was going to.

A few moments later, Taylor came into the infirmary. He looked around for a second before he spotted Guzman and joined him where he stood.

"Report?" Taylor asked Guzman in a calm yet slightly perturbed tone.

"Tried to off himself with a pencil, he nicked a main artery but it looks like he will live" Guzman told him.

"How did this happen?" He asked.

"I don't know, the soldiers guarding the brig noted that he was restless and then he apparently tore down all of his work from the walls before reaching for the pencil, but he was carrying on for a good while. The soldiers are currently writing up their reports" Guzman said.

"I wonder whart set him off" Taylor said as his son had been very compliant to just up and kill himself seemed entirely out of character.

"I don't know. Do you want me to go over the footage?" Guzman asked.

"No, I will-" Taylor stopped midsentence when Jim joined them. "Shannon what are you doing here?" he asked the Sheriff who was looking rather amused for no reason considering suicide was not something to laugh about.

"I was walking my wife home when Lucas came in." Jim said.

"Kate?" Guzman asked Jim, catching Taylor's attention as he looked to the private room to see the door was open with Malcolm in bed by himself. He turned back to Jim who jutted his thumb over his shoulder.

"Bathroom, she seems to fine. Though I think the meds have her completely oblivious of everything around her. I'll check on her in a few minutes to make sure she hasn't fallen in" Jim said with an amused smile. Guzman gave a shake of his head trying to keep his professionalism but inwardly he was relieved that they wouldn't have to deal with Kate flipping her lid about Lucas being in the infirmary. Well until tomorrow. He also had to smile as the private room came with an ensuite so her walk to the other bathroom was completely unnecessary.

The men grew silent as they turned their attention back to where Lucas's prone body as the doctors and nurses worked quickly behind the opaque curtain.

He couldn't help but feel a twist of pain and concern for his son even now after everything that happened between them he still loved his son. Something he felt was a weakness but Alicia kept telling him it was a strength as he just had a greater capacity to love and forgive those he loved. Not that he agreed but he didn't argue with her either. He caught movement in his peripheral and turned to see Kate half walking half dragging her feet as she came from the back area. Jim was right the woman definitely looked out of it but not in bad shape considering her week.

She seemed to be having trouble with balancing herself as she walked since her arm was pinned to her side and under her bust in a sling. She looked up registering Jim, Guzman and Taylor gave them laziest of hand waves.

"Night" she mumbled as she didn't even stop and kept walking. They watched her as she returned back into the private room and didn't bother to close the door to the room behind her before climb back into bed. Jim gave a roll of his eyes as he went over to the room and closed the door giving Kate and Malcolm their privacy as Kate had forgotten.

Jim came back to stand with the men wondering how long they would be waiting, but still slightly smiling at Kate's little interruption. He was pretty sure he heard Kate snore before he closed the door but would save that tidbit to tease her with at a later date.

They watched on and soon the activity in the room lessened and the intensity that had filled the room earlier was gone. Dr Hastings stepped out from behind the opaque curtain and moved to them. It was hard not to miss the blood on his scrubs but they ignored so they could hear the prognosis.

"Commander Taylor, we've stabilised your son and repaired the damage to the artery he nicked. He lost a lot of blood but after a couple of transfusions and a few days recuperation he will recover fully" Dr Hastings informed him.

"Good, I'll have guards posted at the bed and make sure you keep him restrained at all times" Taylor said in a well practiced and professional manner. He had decided it was time he drew a line where his son was concerned and distance himself so Lucas could no longer hold power over him.

"That's not going to help his recovery" Dr Hastings said, Taylor looked at the Doctor coldly, he didn't like it when the doctors gave him lip about patient care in regards to prisoners.

"He's a dangerous criminal Dr Hastings do as you are told as this is for your safety as well as the staffs'. The guards are also to stop anyone from being stupid." Taylor told Hastings as it wasn't just Lucas he was worried about but others wanting act out their anger on Lucas for the occupation. Taylor looked to Guzman "I want him transferred to the new cell as soon as he no longer requires medical attention" he ordered.

"Yes Sir" Guzman said.

"Good, now while he's here Doctor I suggest you give him a good scrub and get rid of his beard and cut his hair down to a number one. Lucas wasn't resistant to personal grooming but I need to see his face when I talk to him"

"This is the infirmary not a day spa" Hastings told him. Taylor gave his a cold and unwavering stare as he didn't appreciate the Doctor being smarmy.

"I'm well aware but that doesn't change that you'll do as I ask even if you have to bring in someone else to perform the task" Taylor said wondering why people kept talking back to him instead of accepting his orders lately especially the doctors in the infirmary.

"Very well" Dr Hastings said inclining his head.

"Tell me when will he be expected to wake up?" Taylor asked.

"I'm uncertain" Dr Hastings told him.

"Ok, I want to be notified as soon as he's awake" Taylor told him.

"Yes, Commander" Dr Hastings said, Taylor gave a nod and purposely turned to Jim dismissing the Doctor without saying the words. Hastings took his leave returning behind the opaque curtain.

"I'll inform Malcolm in the morning and have him and Evan clean out anything and everything regarding to the calculations. Will that suit your purposes?" Taylor asked Jim.

"Purposes?" Jim asked confused.

"You don't want to investigate this? And make it all official for the records?" Taylor asked as he and Jim had gone through the mountain of plexwork for official reports on all the murders and the subsequent death of Mrs Caetano the murderer. He didn't think Jim would want to start cutting corners even with an attempted suicide.

"May as well" Jim said somewhat reluctantly.

"Then let's go now" Taylor said as he gestured for Jim to start walking. "Guzman you're in charge here" he said to the man who gave a nod and turned away, pulling out a comm. unit to call soldiers in to stand guard over Lucas. Taylor and Jim made their way out of the Infirmary.

* * *

Malcolm woke up when Kate groaned in pain and shifted restlessly in the bed enough to wake him. He opened his eyes saw her lying face down on the bed trying to get comfortable. The back of her bed was flat and her face was buried in the pillow with her hair bedraggled.

"You ok there?" Malcolm asked her in an amused tone.

"I'm stuck and it hurts" Kate said as she turned her face to him, he reached down and pushed her hair out her face so he could see her making one of the most adorable yet pained of faces at him. He wondered how she even managed to get herself into such a twisted mess on the bed. He wondered why he was feeling a little cold and now the answer was beside him twisted up in the blankets.

"How did the back of your bed get flat?" he asked her.

"I dunno but it's uncomfortable and I need both arms but I'm broken" Kate said her voice slightly muffled as she had turned her face into the pillow.

"Ok, give me a second here to sort everything out" he told her, in a few seconds he managed to unravel her and get her comfortable lying on her back with the back of the bed elevated to the same angle as his. "There" he told her.

"Always taking care of me" She said with a sleepy but relieved sigh as she snuggled down on the bed now the blankets were straightened.

"Of course and I'll never stop taking care of you" he told her.

"You're saddled with a pregnant high maintenance wife" Kate said with a half chuckle half groan.

"If rearranging you in bed is your idea of high maintenance then I can definitely be able to manage" He told her.

"Mmm I don't think the kid like being squished" Kate murmured. Malcolm wanted to tell her it would take more than lying on her stomach to cause any harm to the child but decided instead to play into it.

"Let me see" he said as moved closer to her and slowly massaged her stomach while he held a thoughtful expression. "I think everything is fine. It all feels like it should" he commented with a quirk of his lips as he looked to Kate but she didn't respond as she had fallen back to sleep. He gave a quiet chuckle as he adjusted the blankets around her making sure she was comfortable, he laid back and watched her peacefully sleep before he drifted off himself.

* * *

"Oh I feel your crankiness but you have no reason to complain kid" Alicia said in a soothing and sympathetic tone as she picked up Ava who was having a good crying spell with her sister. She hadn't slept well after Taylor disappeared to deal with Lucas and had tossed and turned until giving up and exercising early in the loungeroom and getting started on her day all before the twins morning feed. The twins had been fussy when they woke up and instead of settling they decided to escalate their behaviour. The only reprieve was that they had started crying loudly 5 minutes ago and at 7am it was a little more bearable than 2 am. The front door opened and Alicia peered out the side door of the nursery to see Taylor come in.

"Need a hand?" he asked as he kicked off his boots and moved into the nursery, he could see frustration in her face.

"More like six" Alicia said to him over the noise as she held out crying Ava to him so she could pick up Ella.

"Why you balling?" Taylor asked Ava as he held Ava to his chest and gently cupped the back of her head before gently rubbing her back. The baby only answered with cries of murder through tears. "Hey, awwh it's ok" he said to Ava before he looked to Alicia with a questioning look. She gave him a shrug as she picked up Ella.

"I have no idea. They are dry, fed and just plain cranky" Alicia told him as she went into the living area jiggling Ella on her hip. Taylor repositioned Ava in his arms and within a few minutes the little girl calmed down in his arms and stuck her hand in her mouth and started to drool as she became quiet.

"I think they are being spoiled by being held all the time" Alicia commented as Ella seemed to be just following her sister's behaviour as she settled down herself but she was still making small huffy noises which meant she was in stand by ready to set off again. Alicia relaxed as peace and quiet settled in the room, she hadn't realised how tense she was until her body gave a sigh.

"Possibly" Taylor said with a quirk of the lips before he kissed the top of Ava's head.

"How was Lucas?" Alicia asked.

"Alive" Taylor said, Alicia looked him over and saw the fatigue, the guilt and anguish written in his face. She knew how hard it was for Taylor to deal with Lucas.

"I guess that's something" Alicia said.

"Just a night and morning of odd behaviour" Taylor commented.

"How so?"

"Well Kate woke up and went to the bathroom passed Lucas's bed twice and didn't even register with her she was so out of it" Taylor said.

"That is what one would call a 'small blessing'." Alicia quipped as she gave a sigh of relief. She knew the twins were probably upset by the change in daily routine as Taylor usually took the morning to changed the twins and bring them to bed for a feed and cuddle time.

"True, I'm not complaining just commenting. Jim was enthusiastic with his deadline to have the inquiry closed by this afternoon instead of making a show of it taking longer and wanting to investigate every little detail and now these two acting up in the morning when they are morning kids just like us" he said adjusting Ava and ignoring the drool patch on his chest as it was pretty common place with the twins.

"I think they wanted their morning routine where their father does all the diaper changes and has long conversations with them while they are feeding" Alicia said as she passed Ella into his other arm so she could make some breakfast for them.

"Oh you saying I'm spoiling them" He said in an amused tone as he followed her to the kitchen and watched her open the fridge and bend over giving him a lovely view. He like her off the shoulder T shirt and short shorts look the best other than her being naked. But then anything she wore was just dressing.

"That's right. When you're not here I put them into the cupboard and keep the house as quiet as mausoleum. What do you want for breakfast?" She asked as she looked inside at the ingredients.

"Something hearty since I haven't had a lot of sleep and need to get through the day" Taylor answered.

"Well you can always come home and have an afternoon nap with me and twins" Alicia said as she pulled out the makings for a big breakfast of eggs, bacon, tomato and other food.

"We'll see, there's a lot to be done" Taylor said with a tired voice.

"Such as?"

Taylor rattled off his schedule for the day as he moved to the dining table to sit down. He wished he could take the day off and be 'Mommy' for the day with the twins than deal with anything in regards to his son. He just felt useless when it came to Lucas but not with Alicia and the twins, at home he could change diapers, feed the twins, clean house and comfort crying twins and comfort Alicia in more amorous ways maybe treat her with running a hot bath or a long massage.

Alicia listened as she pulled out everything she needed to make breakfast.

"Sounds like a big day, why don't you stay here this morning and work on your plex. I can drop by Evan's and tell him the news before I hit up the infirmary to see Kate. They won't be having breakfast until 8:30 plenty of time. You can also have Daddy-Daughter time, maybe have a mid morning nap instead of an afternoon nap" Alicia offered with a teasing smile.

"I'm not going to say 'no'." Taylor said with a smile as he liked her idea better.

* * *

"Kate get back into bed" Alicia told the woman who was walking slowly from one side of the bed to the other, then back and forth. Alicia had passed on the information about Lucas to Evan who said he'd tell Malcolm that way Malcolm could decide on whether he kept Kate in the dark about Lucas being in the infirmary. It left Alicia with the job of making the woman stay in the room which would be hard considering how Kate was wearing herself out.

"I can't lie around in bed all day, I need to exercise otherwise I'll become unfit and have to work twice as hard to get fit. It's also been 3 weeks give or take a couple of days. What day is it anyway?" Kate asked as she walked slowly from one side of the bed to the other.

"Thursday and you've been in here for three weeks, no extra days trust me the staff out there are marking it on a calender" Alicia told her as it was the second time in the last hour she had reminded Kate what day of the week it was.

"Wow three weeks, I think that's the longest Malcolm and I have gone-"

"Yeah I know, we've been over this" Alicia said with a smile as Kate's pregnancy brain was really starting to kick in.

"Right" Kate mumbled slightly embarrassed for repeating herself.

"You forget that you've got broken bones not to mention pregnant, you're allowed to take it easy and be lazy" Alicia said with an amused quirk of the lips as she watched her friend pace.

"I also have swollen ankles and fingers and stretch marks. I had to take off my wedding ring. It feels so demoralising that I was all hot and sexy pregnant and in a snap I feel pudgy and swollen gross pregnant" Kate grumbled as she had to take her wedding ring off as she was starting to lose feeling in her ring finger.

"Walking isn't going to stop any of those symptoms and you're still a freaking goddess you could grace the cover of a pregnancy magazine" Alicia told her.

"I know but I need to walk for a bit and anyway where are the twins?" Kate asked.

"Taylor wanted some father daughter time. I wasn't going to say no" Alicia said she also wasn't going to have Lucas and her twins breathe in the same room but not that she was going to tell Kate that.

"Awwh that's adorable he's probably telling them all about how to break down a sonic weapon" Kate said a little breathlessly as she continued to walk.

"Hopefully, you should slow down there" Alicia cautioned her.

"I'm fine" Kate told her.

"Broken Ribs" Alicia told her.

"Ok, Fine! I'm done for now" Kate said as she slowly got back into bed and winced as she rested on her back. "I feel like I'm a whale who decided to beach itself, I'm huge compared to when I first got in here and I'm starving and I'm forgetting things" Kate said.

"I know, it's really amusing" Alicia told her, Kate gently smacked her arm.

"Be sympathetic and rubbed my feet or something" Kate said with a pout.

"I brought you muffins" Alicia told her.

"Yes, you did and may I have another one?" Kate asked, Alicia opened the lid off the box, she had bought a dozen of mixed assortment figuring it would help Kate with her hunger pangs for the next few days and still have some left for Malcolm if he was interested.

"Sure, but it's your last until lunch time" Alicia told her as Kate had already eaten one and the muffins weren't exactly small. Kate smiled and pulled out a blueberry muffin.

"Mmm I'm thinking I'll need a nap before then." Kate said before taking a bite of her muffin.

"Probably a good idea" Alicia said looking at Kate.

"Hey, do you know how they are going with my house?" Kate asked after she swallowed her first bite.

"Yes, the repairs are nearly finished. A couple of days at least."

"Good, I want to go home and not because Lucas is here. I just want to sink into my own bed that's a little lower to the floor than keep struggling into this one" Kate said with a smile.

"How did you know about Lucas?" Alicia asked her.

"I saw him last night I thought it was a dream but then I overheard the nurses talking outside the room. I also want to make bacon pancakes with maple syrup" Kate said as she shifted getting comfortable.

"You are a list of wants this morning aren't you?" Alicia asked with a laugh.

"I've been a list of wants all my life" Kate said with a smile.

"I don't even get that joke" Alicia told her.

"Neither do I" Kate said smiling though she didn't laugh. The door slid open and Kate jumped up slightly before Elisabeth poked her head in. Alicia didn't miss it or the relief on Kate's face as she relaxed back down.

"Hey, how's everyone going in here?" Elisabeth asked.

"Good" Kate said before taking another bite.

"good because I'm on break-"

"Then get your ass in here, Kate was just bitching about everything she wants and there are muffins" Alicia told Elisabeth as she opened the box and offered it to Elisabeth. The woman smiled as she came into the room and closed the door before perusing the selection of muffins before taking one and moving to sit on the end of the bed.

"Thank you, though I have to say there is nothing new about Kate making demands" Elisabeth said as she pulled off a piece of muffin top and ate it.

"Hey" Kate said in a defensive tone.

"She really wants bacon pancakes with Maple syrup so that ranks where that ranks on the list is beyond me as it sounds disgusting" Alicia said pulling a face.

"I don't complain that much and you haven't eaten my bacon pancakes so don't wrinkle your nose at something that is delicious" Kate said in defensive tone before she took another bite of her muffin but neither of the women in the room looked convinced as they shared a mutual look of 'I don't think so' and shook their heads.

* * *

"This is going to make quite a delay on the project" Malcolm said as he and Evan stood in the brig, it was a mess papers strewn everywhere. Some torn to shreds and other pieces covered in blood. Both looked reluctant to start the job that was a head of them as Evan stood with his arms folded while Malcolm stood with his hands in his pockets toeing a piece of paper on the floor idly.

"I know, Lucas is just prolonging the evitable" Evan said, Malcolm shot him an odd look.

"Evitable?" Malcolm asked curious as to why Evan had used those words.

"Once the rift is sealed we'll no longer need his help and thus he'll be left alone here. I think I'd take my life if this is all I had to look forward." Evan said with a half shrug. It was a grim thought even to Malcolm, one which he didn't want to consider so he changed the direction of the conversation.

"Well let's see what we can recover and we'll scan them into a database and feed it through the 'Eye' and see what we get" Malcolm said.

"Sounds like a plan" Evan said as he picked a corner of the room and moved over to the area and started picking up pieces of paper.

* * *

"He just lost it" Jim said slightly distracted as he made his eyes go really wide and then small making faces at Ella who looked at him obstinately, refusing to smile. He just didn't get why he couldn't win Ella to his side as the baby didn't like him. He was beginning to think it was the lack of facial hair as Ella didn't have any problems with Malcolm or Taylor. He picked the baby up and placed her on the padded floor where Ava was before Ella spewed on him or acted up.

Taylor placed the plex on the table as he had spent a good portion of his morning watching over the footage and trying to find what triggered his son while doting attention on the twins. He had to admit he spent more of his attention on the twins than the situation with his son. He knew he should feel guilty but he was at his rope's end with Lucas.

He ran a hand down his face hoping to wipe the exhaustion away before he looked back at Jim. It sadly didn't work, instead he just felt the exhaustion sink deeper into his bones.

"So, how's the rest of the colony this morning?" Taylor asked.

"Alive and well, no complaints yet but we'll see" Jim said with a shrug, it was only midmorning there was lunch and a whole afternoon to go. "On a good note the repairs to Kate and Malcolm's place are finished. They thought it would take a few more days but overestimated it and the cell in the barracks is complete and ready for Lucas once he gets cleared by medical" Jim added.

"Finally some good news" Taylor said feeling a some weight lift off him because now they had back up plans. If they had trouble from the community about Lucas they could moved him into the new cell which had more room and facilities for long term imprisonment without having to rush Evan and Malcolm with their work. It also meant that Kate could leave the infirmary and go home as she wanted to do weeks.

* * *

Malcolm came into the private room of the infirmary and made no effort in being quiet as he knew better than to sneak around his sleeping wife. She was lying on the bed peacefully sleeping until he gently tapped on the glass pane in the door as she asked him to do if he came into the room and she was asleep. The noise of course while gentle woke her up and she opened her eyes tense for just a microsecond before she relaxed at the sight of him. She gave him a soft and sleepy smile as she stretched her legs and shifted on the bed.

"Hey, what's the time?" Kate murmured as he came over to her.

"1pm" he told her before kissing her in greeting and then moving his attention down and placing his hands on the sides of her protruding stomach. He pressed his lips to her stomach before straightening up and moving to sit on the side of the bed so he was facing her.

"Mmm I feel like I've been sleeping longer" Kate said as she remembered dozing off around 11:30am when Alicia and Elisabeth left her to rest.

"You feeling ok?" he asked her, he couldn't help but worry about her as he checked her forhead for her temperature. He was glad she allowed him such liberaties without making too much of a fuss.

"Just a little hungry but other than that I'm fine" Kate told him.

"Good, well the food is on its way but first we need to talk" he told her, Kate gave a groan as she used her one good arm to push up on the bed to sit up.

"Four words no one wants to hear" Kate joked.

"Luca-"

"Don't talk to me about that man" Kate said in a cold tone cutting him off immediately, he was amazed how she could make a room feel like it dropped five degrees with just a look or in this case her tone and body language.

"I have to because he's in the infirmary" Malcolm said, he watched his wife turn pale but continued as he felt she needed to know. "He's under guard and restrained to his bed and currently recovered"

"I know, he tried to kill himself. For genius you'd think he'd be able to get that right" Kate said her words chilled him slightly but then he remembered that there was no love lost between the two and if Malcolm could remember those days and the emotional hold that Kate did he'd probably share the same sentiment.

"Kate" He said in a patient manner.

"I will not pretend to have sympathy for him, not after everything that has passed between us" Kate told him in a firm tone.

"Ok, I just wanted you to know so you're aware in case you go for a wander but I'd prefer you don't go for a wander. At least not without me" he told her as he caught her left hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Well I don't plan on moving unless it's for a shower though I want a bath" Kate said, she had a whole list of wants.

"There's a bath in this suite" Malcolm said, Kate made a face and scrunched her nose in slight disgust.

"Babies were born in that bath. I can't relax with those mental images" Kate said which made Malcolm chuckle as she had some of the weirdest and juvenile thoughts.

"You know that they clean the bathroom regularly" he told her.

"Still doesn't change the fact that it's gross"

"How can you say that? When you coo over the twins"

"I'll coo over our kid too because he's going to be a handsome little heartbreaker" Kate said rubbing her stomach now looking smug.

"Well if he inherits my personality I seriously doubt it as I have never broken anyone's heart" Malcolm scoffed as his past record showed he was the one with the broken heart not the heart breaker.

"You broke my heart" Kate told him in a plain voice, he looked at her stunned at her admission.

"I did?" he asked in disbelief, he wasn't looking for pat on the back but he also couldn't see how he managed to break her heart. He didn't remember reading it in his journals.

"Yeah but you managed to put the pieces back together again" She told him with a soft smile he picked up her left hand and placed a gentle kiss on her palm.

"I promise I'll do my best never to do it again" he told her as they held each other's gaze for a moment. Kate shifted first and cleared her throat before speaking.

"So when can we go home?" Kate asked him changing the topic. She wore a hopeful smile that made Malcolm smile back.

"When you are cleared by Elisabeth to leave" he told her.

"So when we get home. Can we have nice long hot bath with benefits?" Kate asked a salacious smile spread across her lips as her tone full of hope. Malcolm chuckled at her as she was all about comfort, sex and food.

"One track mind" He quipped shaking his head at her with a smile.

"But you love it" She told him as her eyes roved his frame.

"I love you, anything and everything else is just an added bonus" he told her.

* * *

TBC- Cya all soon!


	61. Chapter 61

Lucas looked at Nurse Ogawa like she were the dirt upon his shoes as she held a bowl of soup with a spoon ready to feed him.

"I can feed myself" he told her. He was in a foul mood not because of his failed attempt to kill himself. It had left him a little sour but no what had him in a foul mood was when he woke up and overheard the nurses talking about the possibility of Lt. Washington was going to be coming in with the twins and wondering if Commander Taylor was coming in with her to see Kate. Lucas listened to them chatter on about how it was nice to see Commander Taylor so involved with his family before they moved onto other gossip.

"I know but Commander-"

"I don't care" Lucas told her in a cold and curt voice. He was sick of hearing how his father dictated his life. The old man had the staff shave his face and head. It was a stark feeling to wake up without one's hair. Though he didn't miss the beard he did miss the hair on his head as it had kept him warm.

"If you don't let me feed you then Dr Shannon will have to insert a feeding tube which is far more unpleasant than this" She told him, he could see her patience was running thin but then they had been at this for the past 20 minutes. He was sure the soup would be stone cold before it touched his lips.

"I'd rather starve than be feed like a child" Lucas told her petulantly. Nurse Ogawa gave him an impatient look that he definitely deserved but he didn't care as he enjoyed her annoyance and wearing her down.

"Perhaps if you acted like an adult than we all wouldn't be reduced to treating you like a child" Nurse Ogawa told him in an annoyed tone. Their eyes locked again in a staring competition he was actually amazed at the backbone the woman had as her gaze never wavered.

"Nurse Ogawa!" A male doctor said in a outraged voice from behind her in such a manner, he startled the nurse and she accidently dropped the soup bowl half of the contents ended up on the floor and the other half on the restraint holding his wrist to the bed. "Nice work, do you talk to all your patients like that?" he asked.

"You startled me Doctor Hastings and Lucas has been resistant to eating" She told the Doctor as an explanation of her behaviour but Dr Hastings didn't look convinced. Lucas looked the man over and tried to remember him from during the occupation and his time previously in Terra Nova but nothing came to him. Obviously the man kept a low profile which contradicted the personality traits he was displaying now.

"Well clean up the mess while I talk with the patient" Dr Hastings came up on Lucas's other side and pulled out a pen light. Nurse Ogawa gave an aggravated sigh as dropped to her knees and started to clean up the mess. "Tell me how are you feeling?" he asked Lucas as he checked Lucas' pupil reactions and vitals.

"Alive and incredibly ungrateful" Lucas told him in a bored tone as he despised the small talk as if they were equals. Like anyone in this colony were even close to his level of intelligence.

"Well you should be grateful since I saved your life another few minutes and you would have drowned in your own blood" Dr Hastings told him as he pocketed his pen light and pulled the plex from the end of the bed to make notes.

"It was my aim" Lucas remarked.

"Perhaps your aim needs word considering you're still alive." Dr Hastings said trying to inject some levity into the conversation but failing. "So why do you refuse to eat?" he asked.

"I want to feed myself. I do have one hand left that works" Lucas said gesturing with his head to his restrained hand. Dr Hastings considered him for a moment.

"Well if you want to feed yourself then you can" Dr Hastings said, Nurse Ogawa got to her feet at the comment and looked to the Doctor.

"Doctor, Commander Taylor said-" she started to remind him of the rules Commander Taylor had given them. The guards nearby watched on but Ogawa was cut off with a dismissive wave from Dr Hastings.

"I know what he said but this is my Infirmary. So I'll supervise him as he eats and take full responsibility for any untoward behaviour he might make. Does that work for you Mr Taylor?" Hastings asked.

"Dr Taylor" Lucas corrected seeing how far he could manipulate the man.

"My apologies, Dr Taylor. Nurse Ogawa are you finished?" Hastings asked.

"Nearly sir" Nurse Ogawa said.

* * *

Alicia took a photo with her handheld plex of Taylor snoring in bed with the girls lying sideways on his torso. They were also asleep which she couldn't understand as the man sounded like a chainsaw. She placed her plex on the bureau and moved back to the bed and laid down on her side just watching them enjoying the sight before she had to wake up Taylor so he had to go and see Lucas.

She propped her head up and continued to watch them with a soft smile playing on her lips. She loved these moments even with Taylor's loud snoring. She also couldn't wait to start having family dinners again with Kate and Malcolm at the table as well as Evan and his kids as the couple seemed to help maintain the peace between Evan and Taylor. She just loved the fact she had a large family to finally be surrounded in that didn't talk about war and military tactics all the time.

Taylor woke up and turned his head looking at her but careful not to move too much for the safety of the sleeping twins. "Hey" he said before he wiped a hand down his face. He then looked to her seeing her smile.

"Hey yourself, good nap?" Alicia asked.

"Yeah though how did the twins get here?" he asked pointing down at the twins on his chest.

"I put them there" She said with an amused smile, she and Taylor had been lying down talking with the twins between them until he had drifted off. Then she had carefully lifted the twins onto his chest as she couldn't resist a good photo opportunity. She was amazed it worked at all but definitely worth it.

"Very sneaky" he told her.

"I was bored" She said with a half shrug and a playful smile.

"Should of woken me up" Taylor told her.

"If I woke you up it would have ruined a perfectly good photo also needed the rest especially since you'll be seeing Lucas" Alicia told him.

"Speaking of, I don't want you taking the twins to the infirmary while Lucas is there" Taylor said to her.

"I know, it's why I was happy to leave the twins with you this morning" She told him as she gently played with Ella's foot. She loved playing with the twins and their tiny little hands and feet. She didn't want Lucas anywhere near her daughters even if he was strapped to a bed and recovering. If it were upto Alicia she would have had Lucas treated and then sent straight back to his cell but then she knew she was bias as she didn't feel the same sense of attachment as Taylor did.

"I don't know where his mind is at and if this is a genuine cry for help or if he just playing me a fool again" Taylor said lying his back and rubbing his face with his hands. He was careful to not talk too loudly as he was enjoying having the babies weight on his chest.

"Do you want my opinion or for me to listen?" Alicia asked him.

"Both" Taylor answered tentatively. Alicia took a deep breath as if bracing herself and spoke.

"I think you need to make a choice he's either your son or a prisoner. He can't be both because as long as you see him as your son you'll always take a softer hand-"

Taylor opened his mouth to dispute the fact but Alicia held up her hand to stop him. "You know I'm right, there's nothing wrong with showing mercy to him. You did that in sparing his life as you did the same with Fickett but perhaps you need to come up new procedures and practices for dealing with Lucas and his long term imprisonment" Alicia said.

"Draw hard lines" Taylor stated he already thought of that but it was encouraging to know he wasn't alone in thinking that way.

"Yes, so he doesn't start monopolising your time with acting out because he is bored because if this is a game then he is not taking his imprisonment seriously. The sad thing is that you won't be able to ascertain that until speak with him" Alicia said with a sigh. She knew Taylor would be hurt either way if it was a cry for help Taylor would feel it was his fault for being distracted by the colony and if Lucas was just putting on an act then Taylor would feel guilt at how he raised such a man. A common regret of Taylors.

"But even then" Taylor said withdrawing emotionally. Alicia touched his arm and he looked to her.

"Nathaniel, don't punish yourself for his choices. You gave him everything he wanted, the best education at the boarding schools and at that University-"

"It wasn't enough" Taylor told her, Alicia fought to roll her eyes as it was the words that precursored a fight neither of them could win. She always argued that he spoiled Lucas and maybe Taylor didn't hug his son enough but did give Lucas everything he wanted. The point she kept having to drive home was that Taylor was not the sole reason for why Lucas was the person he became. Which was why she decided to cut to the chase and end the arguement before it began.

"I'm not going to argue with you. You know my opinion on that and I believe st some point you have to realise that not everything in regards to Lucas is your fault." Alicia said as she sat up in the bed and looked down at him. Taylor looked to the clock on the bedside table and gave a sigh.

"I have to go" he said, he carefully lifted the twins off his chest and laid them on the bed. The twins moved around for a moment but resettled not waking up.

"I know, I'll make dinner for 6pm?" Alicia asked him as he came round the bed to her side.

"I look forward to it" Taylor said as he leaned over and kissed her before heading to the bathroom to freshen up before going to the Infirmary.

* * *

"Father" Lucas said his voice dripped with venom as he looked at Taylor. He didn't disguise his disgust or hatred as there was no point in playing for the sympathy card. Not after what he heard, he knew Taylor and Lt. Washington would end up together but that didn't hurt as much as he thought. His father was a man and thus he had a weakness like any other man and Lt. Washington exploited it with her body. Hell, Lucas wouldn't turn her down if she offered but then he looked through the opaque curtains barely making out the private suite.

He had seen Alicia go into the room earlier that day and knew from overhearing the staff that Kate was in there. The past few months even after Kate had come to visit him, she had scared him but he also found it didn't overwhelm his sweeter memories of her.

Even in the bleakest of moments when he felt entirely numb and frustrated at his existence he would remember their time together. The smell of her sweat and blood, the quiver of her muscles as the drugs wore her. The way she stared at him with such disdain and spirit, the excitement and rush of trying to break her spirit.

But not even that was enough to sustain him as he just wanted his life to end. He wanted to die before people forgot about him, he wanted to die so he could finally be at peace instead of feeling incredibly hollow and raw like he did now.

The pain from within was more than from the healed wound site on his neck. Why couldn't he get anything right? Why was it that some higher power wanted him to suffer through everything he had and now learn that his father who should be miserable as he was not. His Father got to live his life without consequence even married Lt. Washington who popped out twins no less. No wonder his father hadn't bothered with him, he got his second chance at a perfect life while Lucas suffered in his current life. It made his blood boil that his father always came out on top but Lucas wasn't going to allow it. He was going to make sure his father was going to be as miserable as him before he left this world for good.

"You had them clean me up" Lucas continued as he watched Taylor take a seat by the bed, Lucas slowly twisted his hand in its restraint relishing how it was just a little looser than before. It gave him hope that he could get free and if he could then he would be able to stop by and see Kate give her his farewell before ruining his father's happiness.

"They had to so they could treat your wounds. But then I prefer it to your previous look as I like to see a man's face when I'm talking to him" Taylor said as reclined back in the chair.

"I guess you're disappointed that I couldn't kill myself properly" Lucas asked, he saw a flicker of pain and guilt flash in his father's eyes.

"There are a lot of people who are but I'm not one of them." Taylor told him. Lucas hated how his father could make it sound like he cared when they both knew the truth he had two daughters he cared about more. A new family to love and adore.

"I don't believe you" Lucas said.

"That's your choice, you want to talk about it?" Taylor asked.

"You want to talk about why I tried to kill myself?" Lucas scoffed

"I don't think you were trying anything, you're not stupid this is just your way of getting attention. So I'm here what do you want?" Taylor asked.

"That's cold. I'm having a mental breakdown and you think I'm acting out"

"Committing suicide would be an act of weakness for you, something you don't believe in." Taylor said.

"And you know me so well? Maybe I'm tired of this existence"

"I know that isn't it becase as long as I'm alive and kicking you want to make sure my life is miserable as penance for your Mother death." Taylor held up a hand as Lucas had opened his mouth to talk but Lucas closed it. "I also know we can talk until we're blue in the face and never see eye to eye on anything no matter what concessions I give you."

"Concessions" Lucas scoffed as he couldn't see any evidence of Taylor's so called concessions.

"Just shows how much you take life for granted and you don't appreciate the things I have done for you. No, you piss and you moan because it's never enough for you. So no more special treatment."

"There was special treatment?" Lucas asked his eyebrows raised in disbelief as he didn't feel in anyway given special treatment.

"If you hadn't have been my son I would have shot you for treason and buried you in the ground a long time ago. You wouldn't have the luxury of being able to work on any projects in exchange for privileges"

"Oh please, you call my current life a privilege?"

"Trust me compared to other prisons you're living in luxury. So let's cut the crap and all the small talk. What do you want from me?"

"Nothing"

"Petulance, very mature"

"Go away"

"I wish I could but you're my responsibility. So here is how it will be, you will recover and be moved into your new cell. You will complete the calculations with that purple box of yours, don't bother trying to vie for my sympathy or anyone else's because you won't get it"

"So I'm your slave"

"You're a prisoner of the colony. You want privileges? They have to be earned so if you don't earn them I will revoke your privileges one by one until you have nothing but an empty cell and no one to talk to. I can also assure you with round the clock guards watching you that any attempt to kill yourself will fail and I'll keep bringing you back to life just so you can feel what it's like to be a prisoner in your regime. Maybe then it will sink in"

"You can't do this to me!"

"I can and I will but know that there isn't any pleasure in this for me. So now you have a chance to choose how you want your life to be."

"It's not much of a choice"

"It's better options than what you gave the people of this colony. Better than what you gave Kate" Taylor told him.

* * *

A couple of days later, Lucas sipped the soup off his spoon. He looked around the room as it was then end of dinner time. There was a skeleton crew of nurses and Dr Hastings was on tonight which was why his hand was freed. The man was either incredibly gullible or setting him up as he released Lucas' hand from his restraint to eat dinner and walked away. So much for supervising him, but then Lucas didn't need to listen to the idle gossip the man prattled on about when he did actual supervise.

Though there were the two guards that were always stationed by the bed who kept an eye on him but really they just practiced their thousand yard stare. He had been halfway through scooping his next mouthful of soup when the doors to the infirmary opened and a flurry of action followed.

"Doc, we have casualities"

"What happened?"

"A couple of nykorapters strayed into the agriculture field. One dead, several injured you better get all hands on deck" Guzman said before he left the infirmary. Lucas looked on feeling an opportunity open to him as Dr Hastings shouted at the soldiers to help him. There was a slight hesitation in the soldiers before helped the doctor. Lucas smiled as he waited a few seconds to see how messy the infirmary would become and just as if the powers that be smiled on him the doors opened and more casualities came into the room. The perfect distraction, he dropped his spoon onto the table and turned his attention to the strap securing his arm and undid it quickly before moving to his ankles.

It all felt like a set up but he was going to take it as he didn't have anything lose or gain but he wasn't going to disappear until he stopped by Kate's room for one little goodbye on his terms instead of hers before he went back to his prison cell.

He got out of the bed and kept to the walls and walked as normally as he could so he wouldn't attract attention but luckily the infirmary was too distracted to notice him before he slipped into the private room.

He was surprised at how quiet it was and realised the walls had to be sound proofed. Who would want to listen to a woman screaming from childbirth, definitely not him. He looked to the bed and saw it was only Kate and idly wondered where Malcolm was but also glad he wasn't there as it gave Lucas and Kate some alone time. He quietly moved toward the bed not wanting to wake her until he had his hands around her neck.

Kate looked so peacefully on the bed with the blankets covering her from the neck to the just the tops of her thighs. Her long legs were completely bare and rested with slightly bent knees to the side. He couldn't help but marvel at how pale her skin with just a few sprinkles of freckles.

His mouth went dry and his heart pounded as he felt his blood heat up with desire. He hadn't expected to feel anything so strongly but with her lying on the bed so unaware of his presence thinking she was safe. It made him want to reach out and touch her, so much so his hand itched to touch her skin. He slowly reached out and sharply inhaled as her eyes snapped open. He had been careful to be quiet he barely moved yet she woke up in a snap and was awake and alert with no signs she had been sleeping to begin with.

Kate's insides immediately turn cold and twisted in fear as she saw his hand extended out toward her like he was about to touch her. Her reflexes kicked in and without thinking she rose her legs and kicked them out her feet hitting him in the chest pushing him back with force. He flew back hard into the glass door where his head connected hard splintering the glass and cutting his forehead before he fell to the floor unconscious.

Kate lost balance from her manoeuvre and fell from the bed landing hard onto her broken shoulder. She cried out from the pain and blacked out before she even heard the door to the room open and someone call for help.

* * *

When Kate woke up she first hear Malcolm's voice and then his soothing hand travelling in a comforting manner across her forehead and down the side of her face. Her mind was blurry in a slight euphoria of drugs that were wearing off and pain slowly seeping in.

"Hey" he murmured as she opened her eyes to see him sitting on the side of the bed look at her. His hand moved to the side of her neck gently stroking the side of her jaw with his thumb.

"Hey" she said with a soft smile, she felt exhausted to her bones but glad Malcolm was truly sitting on the side of bed looking at her and not Lucas.

"I think I aged about ten years" he told her. Her eyes went wide as she remembered what happened before she passed out. "take it easy" he warned her but she didn't heed his warning as she tried to sit up but felt a sharp pain shoot through her body which forced her back down onto the bed. Not that it was a great fall as she had probably moved millimetre.

"That's smarts" Kate said as the pain ebbed out of her body.

"Your meds are wearing off" He murmured he had barely moved when her left hand snapped out and caught his arm in a surprisingly tight grip. He noted the slightly panicked look flicker in her eyes.

"Don't go, you just got here" Kate said with smile as Malcolm moved closer to her on the bed still sitting up on the edge looking down at her.

"Actually I've been here for " he informed her as he placed a hand over the top of hers. He felt her grip loosen on his arm before he lifted her hand and held it between his hands.

"I was asleep. It doesn't count. Tell me the baby is ok" Kate said as she tried keep a groan of pain from escaping her lips.

"He's perfect" Malcolm assured her. She smiled for a moment before her expression grew serious.

"Lucas?" Kate asked him, he could see the fear glimmer for the briefest moment in her eyes as she looked to the glass door seeing the fractured glass pane. Malcolm leaned forward blocking her view getting her attention again.

"He's locked up in his cell and unconscious, Commander Taylor assures me he won't be making you anymore house calls" Malcolm told her.

"Good" Kate said. She nodded as she took the information in, she hated to admit that waking up to have Lucas stand over her had been frightening. It upset her that she had such an emotional reaction to him and reacted without thinking first. She could have she tried vainly to contain her emotions as tears blurred her vision. Malcolm's heart twist as he hated seeing her in such a state. She looked so incredibly fragile like one word would break her. He gave her a comforting smile and cupped the side of her face. She turned her face into his palm and closed her eyes taking a slow and deep breath.

"Kate, I should go get Elisabeth to look you over and administer some pain meds. I don't like seeing you in pain" he told her softly, he didn't want to leave her but knew she needed pain medication and for Elisabeth to run a couple of bioscans to make sure everything was ok.

"No, don't go. I've had enough medical attention to last me a year" She said.

"So you plan on having the baby without it?" he asked her incredulously.

"Yeah why not? an at home birth" She said in a convincing tone that said 'this is a great idea'. The idea of a home birth was fair more terrifying to her than waking up to Lucas leering over her. Not that she was going to say so as she liked watching Malcolm wonder if she was joking or not..He narrowed his eyes at her wondering if she was actually serious.

"In the bath?" he asked in good humour.

"Definitely" she said as a smile spread across her lips. He gave a chuckle of relief when he realised she wasn't actually considering an at home birth but just messing with him.

"Right, you nearly had me going" he told her. Kate smiled but didn't laugh as she knew it would hurt.

"I felt the need for levity." she told him.

"You'll need it"

"Why?"

"When you fell, you did your shoulder in-"

"Again?" Kate bemoaned, he gave her a caring smile as he knew she wanted nothing more than to be healed and out of the infirmary. He could give her the latter butthe healing part would take time but at least it wasn't all bad news for Kate or himself.

"Yes, the previous fractured hadn't entirely heald so when you fell you refractured them" he explained to her, he tried to keep his tone even while inside he was afraid of her welfare. He had never felt more afraid in his life than he had tonight,there had to be a limit where her body would give out. He was just thankful that she hadn't gived out tonight and their child was still safe and well inside her.

"How bad? I assume they didn't break cleanly knowing my luck and now I'll be stuck in here for the rest of my life" Kate grumbled with a pout as it explained why she was in so much pain when she moved.

"You're correct about the fractures not being clean but your luck is incredibly good as you will have a speedier recovery now" Malcolm told her.

"I'm sorry I'm a little lost, how does rebreaking my bones make my recovery faster? if anything it means longer recovery, possibly surgery with screws and rods" Kate said she looked at him as if he told her he decided to grow a second head. He smiled at her at how she still thought of things in 21st Century terms.

"Normal practise is to allow the bones to heal but in extreme cases when surgery is required to glean out bone fragments. The doctors opt to regenerate the bones and mend the fractures. the procedure can only be done via surgery with direct application to bones-" he would have continued but Kate cut him off with a wry smile on her lips.

"You were in the operating room weren't you?" Kate said as she could tell he had been there from his expression of fascination and true appreciation of technology used on her. He always talked about his projects with the same expression especially when he made some discovery.

"Of course, I wasn't going to wait around for information about my only family when I can be in the room. Also it's not every day you get to watch human bones grow in a matter of seconds" he said wearing a smile. Kate smiled but scrunched her nose as the idea of bones growing and blood and gore turned her stomach.

"Oh that sounds disgusting" she told him as she shifted slightly regretting at the movement was met with pain.

"That's just the dregs of meds and a very sore and tired body talking. It was quite fascinating to watch, by the way your arm and shoulder fractures are healed. The pain you're feeling is mainly the soft tissue damage but nothing you won't fully recover from" he told her, that bit of news got her attention.

"Does this mean we'll get to go home sooner than expected?" Kate asked with a hopeful tone matched with a slow smile spreading her lips.

"Yes" he told her.

"Mmm I should of fallen out of bed a lot sooner" she said they both laughed until Kate groaned in pain. Malcolm looked at her with deep concern as Kate closed her eyes and shook her head lightly. "I'm fine, just hurts" Kate assured him, Malcolm got up from the bed and placed his hands on the bed beside her shoulders. He leaned in close and brushed his lips across hers in a soft kiss that made her sigh in pleasure.

"Now, I'm going to go get Elisabeth and tell her you're awake. I want you to take the meds" Malcolm told her. Kate gave an apprehensive nod not because she didn't want the pain meds but because she was afraid of being left alone as she felt completely defenceless even with Malcolm's reasurances.

"Please leave it open" Kate said quickly as she wanted to be able to see anyone who came near the door instead of jumping at the sound of the door sliding open. Malcolm gave a nod before he opened the door and left it open, he threw her a smile and winked at her making her smile softly before he left the room.

* * *

"How is she?" Elisabeth asked as she and Taylor watched Malcolm leave the door open and walk towards them. He hadn't left Kate's side since she called him The man ran a hand down his face and looked exhausted but comforted at the same time. Taylor found it reassuring after such a long evening. He didn't spare a look at the empty bed where Lucas had been. He couldn't believe Dr Hastings' gall to break Taylor's rules of conduct around Lucas.

As for Lucas well he deserved the head ache he was going to wake up with and since he was in his new cell with a microchip logging his vitals in real time in the infirmary. There was also a nurse and Dr Hastings on standby in the barracks that had been converted for the cell. The cell room stood in the same place as the one that Kate had habitated during the occupation but it came complete with a shower. So Lucas would never have to leave the room except for an hour of exercise and sunlight.

"Ready for you" Malcolm said, she gave a closed lipped smile.

"If you two will excuse me I'll go and in and check on her" Elisabeth said she didn't wait for an answer before leaving the men and disappearing into the room. Malcolm turned his attention to Taylor. Thay had both been put through the ringer getting the call to come to the infirmary.

"So?" Taylor prompted Malcolm.

"She'll be alright but Kate is not in any condition to talk about what happened" Malcolm told him as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Don't worry Malcolm I'm only here because I want to know that she is ok, not to interrogate her" Taylor assured him. Malcolm gave a slow exhale of relief that he wouldn't have to butt heads with the Commander especially at this hour as he was exhausted.

"I didn't ask her what happened, but I don't want to push her. Though Kate was more than happy to talk about when she would get to go home" Malcolm said with a wry smile.

"When is she not?" Taylor asked shaking his head with a smile playing on his lips. Kate was incredibly predictable with what she wanted.

"True" Malcolm said with a chuckle.

"You ok?" Taylor asked Malcolm, wondering if the man needed to talk himself. He knew what it was like to be worried about the woman you loved and have not only her life hand in balance but that of your unborn child.

"Ah honestly? I'm worried about the trauma she has endured during her pregnancy and our child. Today was not a good day" Malcolm confessed. Taylor nodded as a sign of acknowledgment and that he was listening as he held Malcolm's gaze.

"I know but you got nothing to worry about. That kid is the best parts of you and Kate. The fact he's still hanging in there proves it and I'm sure Doc Shannon told you everything is fine?" Taylor asked.

"Yes, Elisabeth did" Malcolm said.

"Then don't worry about it though that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep an eye on Kate. Her emotional and mental state-"

"is a little off kilter?" Malcolm supplied cutting Taylor off from finishing his sentence. Taylor gave a closed lipped smile before answering.

"That's politer than how I would have put it" he said.

"Yes, I know." Malcolm said with a smile of commiseration. "I'm not sure how I can help her, she isn't big on talking about what is bothering her as she thinks it makes her weak" Malcolm said looking to the open door to the private room with concern marring his face.

"You're doing fine, just being here for her, it's enough" Taylor assured him.

"Any other advice?" Malcolm asked him. Taylor gave it some thought before he answered in all seriousness.

"Be very gentle when you- you know" Taylor said he rose his eyebrows so Malcolm understood he was talking about sex. He knew how much he and Alicia liked to have sex as a way to connect instead of just getting off. He couldn't help but inwardly smile as Malcolm looked incredibly traumatised at Taylor's advice which made it all the more fun to impart.

"Ok, yes I'll keep that in mind" Malcolm said quickly. His cheeks went a deep red from embarrassment as he hadn't expected or asked for sex advice and the fact that Taylor felt the need to impart some on him made him squirm like he had when his father tried to give him the 'sex' talk and offered him bedroom tips.

"Hey don't look at me like that, you asked for advice and I know some people find intimacy to be strengthening and consoling to feel that connection. Just don't expect her to- you know and don't push for it either" Taylor said he used 'You know' as his version of censoring what he really meant to say but considering they were in the infirmary with other staff he censored his words where appropiately.

"Ok, I got it and you can stop there as you're making me uncomfortable" Malcolm said while respected Commander Taylor he really didn't like talking about sex with the man. He inwardly sighed from relief as Elisabeth stepped out of the room giving an escape back to his room before Taylor could continue.

"Ok, now I'll let you go back to your wife as I have to have a few words with the soldiers on guard" Taylor said. Malcolm gave a nod and left Taylor disappearing into the room.

* * *

TBC- Cya all soon!


	62. Chapter 62

_A/N: Thank you for the reviews and onwards with the story!_

* * *

"She's all yours, the meds will kick in after a few minutes" Elisabeth told him, with a pat of her hand on his shoulder as they stood at the doorway looking at Kate.

"Thank you" Malcolm said to her, grateful that he and Elisabeth were still able to maintain their friendship after all these years and mess of what happened between them.

"No problem, just get some sleep and if you need anything let one of the staff know" Elisabeth said with a tired smile.

"I will" Malcolm said.

"Good night" Elisabeth said before walking over to Taylor.

"Night" Malcolm said to her. He walked into the private suite and closed the door, moving over to the bed and looked down at Kate. She looked a mix of exhausted, slight pain and a dabble of panic as she had jumped at the door closing even though it was just him. The mood in the room definitely needed improving and it looked like it was upto him to improve it.

"What?" she asked him, he looked down at her with an amused expression.

"I believe you have been lying on my side of the bed long enough, I'm going to take a quick shower when I get out I want my side back" he told her with a smile as he leaned over her with his hands on the bed on one side of her framing her in. He lowered his upper body until their faces were millimeters apart.

He knew it was stupid but he wanted Kate to be on the other side of the bed so she wasn't close to the door or able to look over at the broken pane of glass. He felt she would try and stay awake staring at the door until dawn thinking Lucas was lurking behind it when she should be relaxed and sleeping. So instead of voicing his worries he decided to keep it playful and Kate played into it with him which he appreciated.

"Oh do you and what if I don't want to move?" She asked him in a teasing manner as she maintained eye contact with him. The pain medication had loosed her aches and pains. Elisabeth explained to her that she would keep her arm strapped as it had been to her body just for a few days while she slept as she would be more comfortable. Elisabeth even reassured her with holographic scans that her baby was in perfect health as she had been concerned.

"Then I will just shift you in your sleep" He told her, placed a brief kiss on her lips before she chuckled.

* * *

Taylor closed the door with a sigh as he was happy to be home. Alicia who had been dozing on the lounge woke up and looked to him with concern. She was already dressed for bed in tiny little shorts and an off the shoulder top, clothing he was definitely going to make her lose before going to bed as he much prefered sleeping with them both naked.

"Hey, tell me everything is ok" Alicia said, she looked wide awake and alert even though she had woken up just a few seconds ago. She got off the lounge and moved towards him. He gave a nod his head as moved to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"Kate's fine, so is Lucas. I had him transported to his new cell with Hastings as his physician. I don't need him slipping out of bed again" Taylor said, he couldn't believe the situation had occurred but then it was due to Dr Hastings bad rostering than anything else and the fact he didn't listen to Taylor's orders. The sad part was that it could have been avoided but at least the injuries were only mild in comparison to the Nykorapter attack where they lost one civilian and had several wounded.

"I'm amazed Kate didn't kill him" Alicia said thoughtfully as Taylor took a long sip of water, all he wanted to not think about his son or Kate but then he did find it amusing that Kate did more damage to herself falling out of bed. He couldn't even imagine what happened but he looked forward to hearing the report.

"She probably would have if she hadn't fallen out of bed" Taylor said with a quirk of the lips. Alicia narrowed her eyes at him and smacked his arm playfully.

"It's not funny, my best friend had to have surgery not to mention if I were Kate I would completely freak if Lucas was standing over me." Alicia told him even though she also found it pretty funny as Kate was a fighter and to be thwarted by something a kid would do was amusing. But what was not amusing was Kate was injured even more from the event and had to be have surgery.

"Well I'm sure her healed bones and Malcolm will make her feel better" he said as he placed his half empty glass of water on the bench and pulled Alicia into his arms. Alicia wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her close ducking his head placing a kiss on her shoulder before nuzzling her neck, taking a deep breath, inhaling her scent while he enjoyed the feel of her soft curves against him. He kissed the side of her neck and slowly made his way up her lips and across her jaw before he touched his lips to hers in a soft kiss.

Alicia relaxed in his arms and gave a moan as he kissed her more firmly, moving his mouth over hers, feeling her lips open and tongue enter. Her hand crept around the back of his neck and pulled him closer as their kiss became hungrier and deeper.

* * *

Malcolm came out the bathroom refreshed from his shower and changed into cotton pyjama pants and a t-shirt. He saw Kate was still on the side he had left her on. She gave him a dopey smile and a small wave as she was lying flat on her back for the first time in weeks. He knew immediately her meds had kicked in with a full force otherwise she would have been very uncomfortable.

"No pain?" he asked her as he turned off the lights, the chem. lights turned on giving the room a pleasant orange glow. He loved how she looked a mixture of peaceful and mischievious at the same time.

"No pain" Kate told him.

"You're still on my side of the bed" he told her as he placed his clothing into a duffel bag reserved for laundry before he moved around the side of the bed closest to the door where Kate was laying,now looking positively mischievous.

"Am I?" She asked with a mockingly innocently expression on her face.

"Yes, you are" he told her, smiling as he couldn't help himself for their playful antics. He knew there would be tears but right now Kate was smiling and right now that was all that matter.

"Well you said you'd shift me, so what are you waiting for?" Kate said, she wanted to see if he'd actually do it or not. Malcolm lifted up the blankets letting in the cold air. "That's a mean tactic" she said with a frown as she shuffled across the bed a little making just enough space for him to squeeze in.

"Well I didn't say how I would shift you" he said smiling at how he wasn't sure who was winning or if it even matter.

"If I catch a cold-" She started but Malcolm cut her off.

"From five seconds of cold air I think not but if you do I will nurse you back to health" he told her, Kate huffed playfully and turned her back to him. Lying on her good shoulder and he used it as an invitation to spoon her from behind.

He carefully moved in behind her and propped his head up with his elbow and draped his other arm over her swollen belly. He felt the baby move under his hand and smiled pressing a kiss onto the side of her neck. Kate relaxed considerably being close to him, he knew she wanted that more than anything else to be close tom him like this.

"I shouldn't be holding you like this. You will be very sore tomorrow because of it" he murmured in her ear, she smiled and turned her face towards his. He saw the love and contentment in her eyes and her expression beaming at him.

"I don't care, the meds Elisabeth gave me are doing a treat and I'll lie on my back all of tomorrow" She said as if she were promising him but he knew better. Kate would still move around as long as she had the energy and the ability to breathe.

"Somehow I doubt that very much" he teased her.

"You could make me" Kate whispered salaciously. Her eyes lit up for a brief moment and he could see what she was thinking. Malcolm chuckled before he kissed her, a slow and gentle kiss.

* * *

Taylor pushed Alicia onto her back and held himself over her. Clothing had been lost in the frenetic and passionate trip to the bedroom to where they were now. He captured her mouth with his and entered her in one long, slow, deep, powerful stroke that caused her to gasp and rise against him urgently.

He used one arm to prop keep himself propped up while his other hand stayed caressing a place that turned her sighs into moans as he began to move within her.

The heat of her nearly drove him out of his mind, but he held on. He was determined as always to make sure her needs came before his own. He moved steadily, and within moments her breathing came harder and faster, her body straining towards his, reaching satisfaction.

Satisfaction, he was more than happy to deliver, pushing into her, rubbing against her. And then he felt it, the hot spasms of her climax, heard her cry out in ectasy as he held her fast continuing his movements.

In that moment of blinding pleasure, Alicia bit down on his shoulder and he hung on with all the strength he could muster, saving himself and finally she weakened beneath him and the clenching spasms that surrounded him slowly subsided.

Her body relaxed and her began to slow. Her pants became sighs and her kisses came soft and sweet across his lips.

"Don't go to sleep on me yet, I'm not done" he mumbled against her lips. He kissed her deeply and began to move inside her once more. Alicia moaned in pleasure as he pumped his hips She lifted her knees and tilted her hips beneath him, bringing him deeper and he could feel her begin to move in concert with him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he followed the rhythm she set in place.

He lifted his head up breaking the kiss, and looking down at Alicia maintaining eye contact as he rocked with her, slow and steady, deep and long, hanging on to control unitl he saw her pupils dilate and he watched Alicia bite her bottom lip trying not to moan too loudly and dropped his head beside hers as he increased the tempo of their movements, he knew she closely reaching her second orgasm and to watch her go through the motions would make him come which he was not going to do until she came again.

* * *

Lucas groaned as he slowly woke up, he tried to open his eyes but found himself blinded by bright fluorescent lights above him. He groaned as it hurt his eyes and didn't help the pounding headache he had. He raide a hand to block the light from his eyes and realised his hand wasn't restrained.

He blinked rapidly and looked to his left and saw he wasn't in the Infirmary nor was he in the brig. He heard a door opening and a moment later Dr Hastings filled his vision line.

"Dr Taylor, please take it easy you have a concussion. I need to ascertain how bad it is" he told him as he helped Lucas sit up. A wave a nausea rolled over Lucas as sitting up brought a whole new wave of fun symptoms on top of his headache. He remembered being in the infirmary, that he had slipped his restraints and he had gone to see Kate, to say his goodbyes and couldn't resist one last touch and the rest was one big blank.

"What happened?"

"Besides you making an idiot of me? well when you tried to assault Mrs Wallace in her bed but she managed to fight you off" Dr Hastings said as he opened his medical bag on the floor.

"Is that her story?" Lucas asked.

"No that is my assumption based on finding Mrs Wallace out of bed with more broken bones than you. You should consider yourself lucky. Now follow my finger" Dr Hastings said as he held up his index finger and moved it slowly for Lucas to follow.

"How am I lucky?" Lucas asked Dr Hastings who dropped the finger and started tapping away on his hand held plex making notes.

"You're lucky because she probably would have killed you if you hadn't gotten to her first" Dr Hastings said. Lucas remained silent as he couldn't be bothered correcting the man as he knew no one would believe that he hadn't touched Kate. What was the point, what annoyed him was that no one seemed to believe him that he did want to die. All they wanted to see was that he was just manipulating them.

Dr Hastings finished his process of looking Lucas over and gave him the diagnosis of a minor concussion and told him to rest and if the headache became more severe or any other symptoms appeared then to tell a guard. He also said he would organise for a dosage of painkillers to be served with his breakfast and with that the Doctor made a speedy exit from the cell.

Lucas listened to the magnetic locks seal and turned his head slowly taking in the cell. It was the size of a medium sized studio apartment, and it's walls were made from thick clear perspex walls and ceiling with grate holes for oxygen. There was also a ventiliation grate in the floor for extra air flow and temperature control in the far corner where a table and chairs sat. On the table were clothing, towels and personal grooming items; soap, toothbrush, tooth paste etc.

It looked like his father had thought of everything for long term use as there was a perpex partition in the cell room separating the bathroom from the main room. It was a veritable luxury compared to the brig and a definite upgrade from what he had been led to believe but it didn't shift his resolve. He was not going to live like a rat in a cage for the rest of life. He couldn't do it, no he wouldn't.

He looked around and saw only two guards on duty, he banged on the wall and a guard moved to the door and that was when Lucas saw the comm unit in the frame of the door on his side. There was one on the outside which the soldier pressed.

"What do you want? Also you'll have to use the comm. as we can't hear you through the walls" He told Lucas in clipped professional tone. Lucas groaned as he got off the bed and moved to the door and activated the comm.

"I would like the lights to be turned off" Lucas said.

"They only turn to chem. light" The soldier told him.

"As long as it is darker" Lucas told him, the soldier didn't look like he cared let alone was going to do anything about it. But Lucas was surprised when the soldier stepped back and spoked into his own comm. unit not even breaking eye contact with Lucas. The lights dimmed into a low orange glow and Lucas sighed as it eased his headache and moved back to his bed.

* * *

"You bit me last night" Taylor said the next morning over breakfast. Alicia placed Ella in her recliner chair next to her sisters on the table. So they could eat like a family with the exception that the twins always ate since they were still on breast milk. She took a seat at the table that was laden with food for them. Taylor piled his plate up with food and dug in as he was starving.

"Well it was that or scream, I don't think I was capable of walking after that sessions last night let alone tend to two cranky babies" she told him as she snapped the buckles for the chair close so little Ella was secure. He had noticed the bite mark after he came out of the shower that morning as it had bloomed into a excellent bruise, he was actually pretty proud of it.

She couldn't wipe the smile from her face as last night had been fun. It was definitely better in her books to go to bed with sex on the brain than worry about their daily woes. She had figured they would digress into another discussion of Lucas when Taylor came home but instead he focused his whole attention on her. She had to admit she liked being shown preference last night, she and Taylor were all about the twins which was fine but it was incredible when they reinforced their relationship and intimacy.

Taylor looked incredibly pleased and smug at her comment and the probably the fact that she wasn't going to apologise for leaving her mark on him. It wasn't like she drew blood.

"I should take the blame as it was all part of my plan" he told her, Alicia quirked an eyebrow at him. "A happy wife makes for a happy life" he told her, she burst out laughing at him.

"That is terrible" she told him as she piled the food onto her plate.

"I'll work on it, so you going to visit Kate?" he asked her before he took another bite of his breakfast.

"Yeah I am, I was hoping you might like to take the girls with you to the Command Centre or stay here for a couple of hours." Alicia send in a tentative tone, Taylor swallowed the bite he was eating.

"I can set up the play pen in the Command Centre" he said as he had enjoyed spending morning with the twins even if he was only getting half the work he wanted to get done. "But only for today, at some point I have to get some work done this week" he told her with a smile.

"Well I was thinking maybe you could take them for two mornings during the week to give me some 'alone' time" she said.

"Alone time, what would you do?" he asked her.

"I don't know but I'd like to have some time to myself without the twins even if it's just to go shopping for food" She said. Alicia didn't want to admit that sometimes it was a drag taking the twins everywhere she went and being crowded by people trying to help her but really they just wanted to coo over the twins and give her advice. She missed how a shopping trip turned from a half an hour trip into two hours because she was constantly stopped.

"Done, I can handle taking them to work two mornings a week but we'll do a trial run and see how I go" he said with a smile.

* * *

"I have to go to work" Malcolm mumbled against Kate's lips as they continued to kiss. He had meant to just give her a goodbye kiss but ended up on the bed with her again. At least he could say she was on her back and even that took some coaxing as he had woken up to her trying to get changed into a light weight black modal cotton dress that ended at mid calf. Once he got up and helped her get dressed and got her back into bed just before Elisabeth came in with a nurse and breakfast.

He couldn't wait for them to go home and make breakfast at time that suited them. He would like for once to not have to think about someone coming into the room and interrupting them when they were kissing or being intimate. Not that sex was their issue because they would have to have it for it to become an issue but he didn't enjoy their moments being interrupted with 'ooh oops, I should have knocked' or the disapproving looks of that they shouldn't be doing anything except lying on their backs and looking at the ceiling.

He really hoped no one would walk in right now as he knew how it would look even though they were both fully clothed, they were also heavily entwined as Kate had one of her legs wrapped around his hips keeping him close. He leaned ot one side and used his arms to keep his upper body weight off Kate as he didn't want to squash her or their son. He also didn't want to be interrupted because he'd rather leave one exchange with Kate smiling and blushing from pleasure not amusement.

"Call in sick" Kate mumbled back against his lips before kissing him deeply. Malcolm drew back after a few seconds and looked down at her smiling. He grazed his fingers down the side of her face and she turned her lips to kiss his palm not breaking eye contact.

"I'm not sick" he told her. He was definitely going to need a cold shower at the rate they were going.

"Yes, you are. You're sick with worry for me and leaving me alone. Now stay with me" She said with an eager smile.

"Alicia will be here soon" he told her as her hand skated up under his shirt.

"But I can't make out with Alicia" Kate told him.

"You could but I would prefer you didn't. I like having you all to myself" he told her.

"Good, now shut up and kiss me. I'm hormonal and pregnant you're supposed to cater to my whims" She told him.

"And I will later" he said smiling as Kate made a small whining noise in her throat when he moved off the bed and stood up. He had to admit it was quite an ego boost to be wanted not for his intellect or academic pursuits but rather more carnal and physical means. There was a lot more to their relationship but right now, the way Kate looked at him reminded him why he loved her. She was forward with her emotions even when she tried to hide them, he could see her pain, her happiness and right now her amorous side showing with a dash of good humour.

"I'll be here, waiting" she told him.

"On your back"

"However you want me" She said her smile turned salacious and Malcolm groaned at her invitation as she was making it very hard to leave her. But he found it helped if he remembered she was injured and her recovery took precedence over her wayward thoughts and his.

"You don't play fair."

"I know" She told him with a wide smile.

* * *

"So what's the damage?" Taylor asked Evan and Malcolm as he held Ava in his arms walking the baby as she was too fussy to lay about and look around like her sister was currently doing in the playpen he had set up next to his desk in the Command Centre. It had been a very unorthidox morning running his meetings and doing work with the twins in his office. At least it was more productive than when he was at home working as he spent more time doing his work than marvelling at tiny and perfect the twins were.

"We'll know the extent of Lucas's research and his progress in an hour after the eye is through running it. But from what we've seen he's very close to finishing. I'm hoping we'll have the fracture sealed by the end of month. If not sooner" Malcolm said, he wanted this project off his desk and Lucas out of his life as soon as possible. Taylor gave a nod as he couldn't help but notice how well rested Malcolm was considering he had Kate to contend with. In fact he expected Malcolm to be concerned and distracted. He inwardly smiled and wondered if Malcolm took his sex advice.

"I concur, I'm ready to move onto a new research project" Evan said in agreement he was inwardly amused at Taylor holding a plex and his daughter. He always figured Taylor to be a man who'd keep family and work separate but it was good to see he was wrong.

"How is Lucas?" Malcolm asked Taylor, they all know Malcolm asked out of obligation not because he actually cared other than if Lucas didn't survive they would have to come up with a solution to their current situation with the spacial rift that needed closing.

"Alive, he apparently woke up last night and had a bad headache. Doc says it's a minor concussion. Not surprising, considering what happened" Taylor remarked in a casual manner as he picked up the purple box. He like everyone else had no clue what happened but he already decided that Kate woke up and fought off or tried to fight off Lucas and fell out bed knocking Lucas back. It didn't matter as Lucas was in his cell and Kate was going to survive.

"So we are going ahead with giving him the box?" Evan asked.

"Yes, I'll give it to him today and a plex so when the eye finishes collating the information. That way we can just give him the information on a chip and save on paper and get this done. We need the fracture closed and he has the last piece of the puzzle to finish it all" Taylor said.

* * *

A few days later,

Lucas who had been lying in bed heard the magnetic locks pop and the door swing open. He sat up in his bed and turned to see his father come into the room. The door closed and locked behind him, Lucas could see that his father was here on business as he held the purple device Lucas had waited five years for the Sixers to get to him. He was pretty sure his father had no clue what he was doing if he thought it was safe to give it back to Lucas.

"Son"

"Don't call me that"

"Good morning to you too. I brought you, your work"

"I'm amazed you didn't have some lackey bring it to me"

"And miss out on these precious moments together?"

"Whatever, you just want me to close the fracture. Something I don't want to do" Lucas said as he didn't want to admit that he couldn't do it.

"I know your life's ambition but we had an agreement"

"Which I want to reneg on"

"You don't get that luxury"

"Right, what will you do? Make my life miserable because it's no picnic right now"

"No, I'm going to leave you in this cell and when you get bored which you will. You will work on the only thing left to do which is this project" He told Lucas as he tapped the table where he placed the purple device and the plex.

"You sound so sure but maybe I'll just try to kill myself"

"And I will just have you brought back to life over and over until you finish this work because you owe the people who lost their lives and those who suffered as a result of your actions this"

"I owe them nothing"

"Then perhaps you should do this for your mother"

"Oh that is a low card to play. She is dead because of you, because of who you are not me. I am not ashamed by my actions you deserve to suffer for what you did" Lucas said as fire of hot rage burned in him.

"Your Mother raised you better than this"

"How would you know?"

"I knew her a lot longer than you, Ayani was the kindest and most forgiving soul that graced my life. I may have not been around a lot but I do know she never raised you to be like this. I don't even know how you honor her memory by being this man" Taylor said shaking his head at Lucas, he felt a great sadness and disappointment overwhelm him as he looked at his son. Lucas looked at the floor and Taylor knew the conversation was over, so he got to his feet and left.

* * *

"You should take it easy with that arm" Alicia said as she watched Kate lift Ava to her chest. She was afraid Kate might accidently drop ava and hurt herself in the process.

"I told you it's all good, no muscle aches, nothing. I feel good" Kate said as she smiled serenely walking with Ava in her arms. Alicia was expecting Kate to be a manic mess of tears and talking about Lucas but instead she was all smiles and jokes, talking about her and Malcolm being back at home. Alicia liked it as she preferred Kate being happy. Kate had told Alicia what happened with Lucas and even laughed about falling out of bed. So obviously it wasn't as traumatic as Alicia had thought the even was.

"You want another cup of tea?" Alicia asked her as she put the kettle on for them to have some tea.

"Sure, why not?" Kate asked.

"Before I forget you and Malcolm are coming here for dinner"

"We are?"

"Yes, it's our designated family dinner night. Evan is coming with Sean and Olivia and before you even start with you not being family. You are, so deal with it and make Malcolm get a pie from the markets for dessert" Alicia told her.

"So does this make me your older or younger sister?" Kate asked with a smile.

"You're my fraternal twin but I'm older by 2 minutes" Alicia told her sarcastically.

"I can live with that" Kate told her, they both laughed. The front door opened and they both looked to see Taylor walk into the house.

"Hello ladies" he said gave a smile that didn't quite reach his lips. He had forgotten Kate would be out of the infirmary and thus at their house more often. He had hoped to come home and spend some family time with Alicia and the twins to warm his insides and not think about Lucas or how disappointed he was in himself for failing Ayani.

"Hey, you're home early" Alicia remarked as she turned off the stove as the kettle whistled. She knew Taylor had gone to see Lucas and obviously the visit upset him enough to make him come home. She just hadn't expected to see him so clearly affected but then it was Lucas, the man made an art out of drawing blood with words.

"Yes, I finished for the day and figured I'd see if you needed me to do anything for tonight" Taylor said casually, Alicia gave a nod and gestured to Kate.

"You can take Ava away from Kate. She's not supposed to be carrying heavier than a cup for another week" She told him with a smile. Kate made a face before she looked down at Ava who had a pudgy little hand pointing at Taylor and babbling.

"Ok, fine" Kate said as she passed Ava into Taylor's eager arms. He pulled the baby girl close and kissed the top of her head, taking a moment in cherishing how small and perfect she was, how her life would be full of potential and he had a second chance with her and Ella to make them into strong beautiful women like their mother and have a good father daughter relationship with them.

Kate looked to Alicia with a questioning look and in response Alicia mouthed 'Lucas' and Kate instantly understood why Taylor was looking rather reverent in holding Ava. She pulled out her comm. unit and typed a message to Malcolm.

"Well I'm demanding Malcolm gets us pie for dessert tonight. You two have any preference?" Kate asked casually.

"Apple Blueberry" Alicia said almost immediately as she knew it was Taylor's favourite.

"Done" Kate said clicking the send button and pocketed the comm. unit into the pocket of her maxi dress. "Well, I'm going to head home and take a nap, is there anything else you want me to do for tonight?" she asked.

"Just show up at 6 and bring the pie" Alicia told her.

"Ok, see you later" Kate said as left the house making a quick exit.

"I didn't mean to break up the fun" Taylor said to Alicia who poured the hot water from the kettle into a tea pot before moving it to the table with two cups.

"It's ok, Kate does have to rest especially if she's going keep up with us all at the dinner tonight" Alicia said as she sat down at the table, she played with Ella's toes as the baby girl was sitting in her recliner chair on the table. She looked to Taylor who sat down at the table opposite her still holding Ava.

"I guess so, is she ok?"

"Yeah she's great. We did some light exercises and talked, she's happy. Are you ok?"

"I'll be fine" he told her and as he said the words he knew them to be true.

* * *

Lucas pressed his hand to his forehead as he rose up and out of bed. His head was pounding something fierce but he needed to get to the purple computer device. He looked at the guards on watch and wondered why they bothered he wasn't escaping this room anytime soon.

He made it to the table and exhaled slowly ignoring the nausea that rolled in him with the pain and dragged his fingers across the top of the box in the grooves. It lit up accepting his DNA and opened turning itself on. He waited the few seconds for the holographic screen to appear above him, a soft smile as played across his lips and the headache was put to the back of his mind as he looked in the bottom right hand corner and saw the icon for the Terminus.

It was darkened slightly indicating the terminus was offline but it also meant that the computer and the terminus were connected wirelessly. He knew he didn't have the programming to activate the terminus but it wouldn't be impossible for him to do so. He knew it would take some time but then I had all the time in the world, he wanted to leave his mark on Terra Nova and his father and he knew just how to do it.

* * *

_TBC- Cya all soon_


	63. Chapter 63

4 months rolled by quickly in the Colony,

Winter slowly dissipated into a warm spring which was why Alicia and a very Kate were enjoying the outdoors enjoying the sunshine before they went to the Spring Fair. Kate leaned back in the chair, her round stomach protruding in a way that made her look like she was ready burst. But then the woman had maintained pretty decent muscle tone throughout her pregnancy. She was at 40 weeks and ready to pop. The soldiers and some civilians at Boylan's bar were placing bets as to the day and time of birth and the weight of the baby. The only reason it had registered interest at all was that it was rare for a woman to reach 38 weeks without giving birth and Kate was now setting a record as she was at 40 weeks and the baby had dropped but made no other signs of leaving Kate's body.

"You think you're going to have the baby sometime soon or what?" Alicia asked Kate who groaned as everyone around her kept saying that to her. It was that and comments about how she waddled more than walked but she had been waddling around for the last month or so. She was really done with being pregnant.

"Trust me, if I knew how to send an eviction notice to my uterus and have the boy understand then I would but I can't and he apparently doesn't want to come out. But everything is ready, I am ready, he's in the downward position but sunny side up. All he has to is turn face down and get out. How is that so hard?" Kate asked in a frustrated manner as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Alicia felt for the woman as she knew Kate was uncomfortable and she didn't blame her. She had felt Kate's stomach and the baby's movements in the cramped space and also knew what it was like from her experience.

"Maybe he just likes it in there" Alicia said.

"Well he can't stay in there, I feel like I feel like a live grenade and people are getting on my nerves with this betting pool and giving me advice. You know having sex when I'm this big is not hot and sexy as one would think" Kate said sounding stressed, Alicia pressed her lips together trying not to laugh as she didn't want to Kate to get more stressed or angry.

So she watched Kate took a deep calming breath. "But it's ok, Malcolm and I discussed this I'm being induced in 5 days if the baby doesn't come out on his own accord" Kate said in a 'I'm going to calm and relaxed about this and not melt down' voice.

"Well Evan has his money was down for 11:59pm tonight, baby weight of 3.4 kilos. Since I can't gamble, I support him. So come on go into labour!" Alicia told her as if she were cheering on a race.

"No, I'm going to the festival for lunch and I'm going to enjoy a leisurely afternoon of frivolity. So I refuse to go into labour until tomorrow after lunch" Kate stated to Alicia in an obstinate manner.

"Seriously?" Alicia asked her, amused that Kate had spent the last week and half begging and bribing the baby to come out of her only to now put her foot down and say 'no'. But then Kate had been doing everything right, eating well, getting plenty of rest. She didn't over exert herself but then she had Malcolm, Alicia and many others running around after her stopping her from overexerting herself. The woman did not understand the words 'Take it easy'.

"I like the Spring Festival. I'm healthy and able to waddle around and stuff. So yeah we're going" Kate told her.

"I know but really you're the only woman I know who has reached 40 weeks, I'm worried I'll end up having to help deliver your baby in Boylan's bar" Alicia said with a smile, she honestly didn't care where the baby was born but at the rate Kate went she wasn't going to be anywhere near the infirmary when she popped. Kate made a face at the idea and shook her head.

"I'm not going to his bar. I'm going to the Festival and I'm going to eat delicious things and maybe dance" Kate said reiterated her early statement.

"Really? Dance?" Alicia asked her incredulously.

"Sway slowly on my feet in time to the music" Kate offered shifted again as she just couldn't get comfortable, no matter how she sat or laid her whole body was like one sore spot.

"You ok?" Alicia asked her, concern tinting her voice.

"Back pain, uncomfortable and I'm tired. Being pregnant sucks" Kate said in a plain tone so Alicia knew not to make a big deal out it which meant the woman was in more pain than she was letting on.

"I told you to lay up in those back stretches this morning" Alicia said as she couldn't believe Kate was still practising yoga even though she was doing an incredibly gentle version of it.

"I was hurting before the stretches and I didn't do half of them. I swear all the tossing and turning last night must have pulled a muscle" Kate told her.

"Want a heat pack before we go?"Alicia offered.

"Please" Kate said, Alicia got up from her chair and went into the house. She returned a couple of minutes later and helped place the heat pad on her back. Kate gave an appreciative sigh as heat seeped into her sore lower back.

"So where are the twins?" Kate asked, she could help but marvel at how quickly the twins had grown as they were now able crawl, stand up by themselves. Their distinctive personalities showed more and more as Ava was the outgoing baby who liked to explore while Ella was more reserved in her exploration.

"In the Command Centre with Taylor, he reckons you're going to drop this baby when we least expect it and he doesn't want my attention to be divided between you and them. But I think he just likes having his own special time with them. He missed out on Lucas's birth and a lot of his younger years due to his career" Alicia explained to Kate. She had to admit she was happy at how involved Taylor was with the girls. Happy that they had been able to find a balance in their lives where it more about their life and family than about the Colony and work. While Taylor's job was important it was nice to finally get first priority.

"So he's making up for lost time" Kate said with a smile as she rubbed her rounded abdomen.

"Yes and giving me a much needed break. I love my girls but even I need some 'me' time" Alicia said, which she did enjoy as much as she loved the twins she also liked being able to have a few hours to herself every now and then.

"Yes, your 'me' time where you babysit your overly pregnant friend so she isn't alone when she goes into labour" Kate said dryly.

"That's right" Alicia said after a chuckle, she smiled as Kate had shot her a dark look.

"Well then you can take me to the festival. It should be starting now" Kate said.

* * *

Lucas watched the holographic screen looking at the Terminus Icon waiting for it to light up. The Eye had shown him the holes in his work and mistakes that needed correcting in fixing the mistakes he'd been able to complete his work. It of course had taken 4 excruciating months of suffering restless nights and constant headaches but it had been worth it as he had not only solved his father's problem of closing the rift but he had also used his work to write in a hidden virus that would help him connect with the terminus and it's control systems with using the magnetic communications systems his father had his soldiers use as a wifi for his purple device.

Once the terminus was switched on, he could then use the connection with the Terminus to establish a stronger signal. He knew the terminus would be connected to central mainframe so Dr Washington and Dr Wallace could run simulations which meant he would have access to the same systems. All he needed was to access the systems for his cell and unlock the door at the same time blacking out the colony.

Then he would be able to escape from his cell and see his family one last time before he took off into the night. He didn't want to die in a cell and while living in the Jungle wasn't luxury it was a better place to go out in. He had to admit he found comfort in knowing everything would come to end and smiled as the Icon lit up.

* * *

"Have you tried sex?" Jim asked Malcolm as they moved around a table in the main lab. Evan had turned the Terminus on to it's lowest power settings with Lucas's new calculations to run simulations with the current programming to see whether it was all going to work. He wanted to also run diagnostics making sure all the circuitry was in working order.

"I really do not want to discuss my sex life with you but yes we have tried having sex. I believe it's how we got to this point to begin with" Malcolm said sarcastically, Evan chuckled at Malcolm's reply and because Jim wasn't the only person to ask Malcolm that question. In fact many people who Malcolm barely associated with had started popping out of the woodwork giving him tips on how to induce Kate into labour all because there was a large betting pool on the birth of his son.

"I'm just saying I read somewhere that-" Jim started but Malcolm cut him off.

"I know and you're not the only person to tell me every tip under the sun to induce birth. My son will be born when he's ready or well in 5 days he'll be induced but hopefully he'll come out on his own terms" Malcolm said. They tried eating spicy food, sex, walking, massages, acupressure, acupuncture, primrose oil. Kate had drawn the line at consuming castor oil and eating dates.

"Even the nipple-"

"I understand a lot of money is riding on the birth of my son and trust me Kate and I are as eager for her pregnancy to be over as the whole colony is to win that money. What I don't understand is why Taylor and you aren't stopping the Pool. Gambling is illegal" Malcolm pointed out as he cleaned up his work space getting ready to go meet Kate at the main square. She and Alicia would have enjoyed a couple of hours for Kate to be ready go home or he hoped.

"Don't be a stick in mud, it's a bit of fun and we all know Taylor and I can't stop this pool" Jim said.

"Of course you would think it's fun, you don't have to put up with listening to everyone's 'helpful' tips. I can only imagine what this afternoon will bring with the festival" Malcolm grumbled as he didn't want to go but Kate insisted as she spent most of her days lying around waiting and she wanted to have fun. He really needed learn how to say 'no' to her.

"I saw Kate with Alicia waddling herself around the Festival. I have my money down for tomorrow night. She looks like she dropped more and I was hoping she would be nesting by now to kickstart the labour as the first baby usually takes the longest to be born" Jim said as he idly picked up a spanner. Malcolm took it out of Jim's hand and placed it back onto the table before he continued packing away equipment.

"The house has been thoroughly 'nested'. It's clean, the freezer and fridge stocked with food…" Malcolm drummed out the usual list of things he and Kate had done as he had repeated the lines many times for other people he had it all memorised until Jim cut him off.

"Ok I get it, you and Kate are the 'A' team of expecting parents" Jim said as he didn't need to know every single detail.

"Well they've had a few extra weeks and constant reminders of what needs to be done." Evan said from his seat, he looked at his watch noting his kids would be at the rec centre doing whatever the activities were there under supervision. He decided he'd stop at the main fair and say hi to Alicia and Kate before heading over to the rec centre to wrangle his kids home for dinner and family time at home.

"When did you bet for?" Jim asked him as he knew there wasn't one person living on the East side who hadn't placed a bet on Kate's pregnancy. Evan smiled.

"Well I saw Kate last night at dinner and placed my bet for tonight being the night between 11:59pm, 3.4 kilos" Evan said, he of course wasn't going to share that he was going to share half his winnings with Alicia who told him the time and weight.

While gambling was illegal, this time Taylor had turned a blind eye because he knew he would rather keep things above the board and at Boylan's where he knew what was going on than have gambling dens crop up around the colony. Though when the pool started for Kate's pregnancy, it had been when she reached week 36 and it had been just a handful of soldiers and colonists but as she progressed past her original due date more people wanted in on the pot as it had grown to a hefty sum.

* * *

Lucas smiled as he would be guards were chatting amongst themselves instead of paying attention to him. He had the holographic screen up showing live feeds of security cameras. He flicked through the security feeds and stopped at one of the interior of the Command Centre. he saw by the side of his father's desk was a large quilt with toys next to a play pen with two little babies in it. So the rumours were now confirmed, his father had moved on. He watched on as his father leaned over and picked them up placing them onto the quilt floor smiling as the two babies crawled around and picked things ups. It made his gut burn with anger as his father was happy.

He idly wondered why his father had all the luck and was allowed to be happy while he suffered. He pressed his lips into a firm line as a new plan came into his mind, his original plan of destroying his father came back to life as he knew exactly how to take everything from his old man once and for all.

He closed the feed and opened up a new window and started putting his old plan into effect and making a few adjustments as he on;y had a few hours to get everything he need to before some idiot stumbled onto what he was going to do.

* * *

A few hours later, the sun was low in the sky. The spring festival was still going strong with good food, drinks, dancing and live music playing in the main square, it was mainly teenagers as all of the children and most of the parents were at the rec center on the east side of the colony where Taylor had organised a large supervised play area with games and fun to keep people occupied and traffic low in the main yard before the fireworks.

"I'm ready for the speeches" Kate told Taylor as she and Malcolm joined the circle, Taylor smiled as he adjusted Ava on his hip looking at Kate. She was in a cap sleeve steel blue wrap around dress that finished at the knees with her red hair was pulled into a nice half up half down style. She leaned against her husband looking exhausted but otherwise happy.

"I decided to put it off until later this evening before the fireworks to congratulate us all on a fine afternoon" Taylor said with a smile as it had been fun. Even though the twins were a little too young to enjoy the fair, he did like parading his family around and playing some of the games in the rec centre with Alicia before they returned to the main square where they decided to catch up with Kate. Alicia wanted to make sure Kate took some time off her feet before the speeches as she knew Kate wouldn't leave before then.

"Maybe if we're lucky you'll go into labour and have the baby before then and Taylor can welcome him into the colony" Alicia said in a teasing manner as she wore black skinny jeans with ankle zip details and a loose grey racer back singlet top. She swayed on her feet with Ella in her arms who was beginning to get fussy.

"No way Jose am I dropping this kid before the fireworks. It's my favourite part" Kate said in a frustrated tone as she like Malcolm were at their wits end with the colony waiting for their child.

"Well, keep thinking that as I would be nice be rich once in my life. No dropping of babies until after 11 tonight" Evan said a smile as Kate looked at him darkly. Those in the circle laughed at Kate's adamants of when she was going to give birth. Mainly because it was never up to the mother but the baby and her body.

"I'd rather tomorrow night" Jim added in with a smile.

"Geez Shannon, give them a break" Taylor said to Jim as it was the fifth time the man had mentioned Kate should have her baby tomorrow night in the last hour.

"Yeah Shannon give me a break. I've barely slept, I feel like I'm the size of a blimp, my lower back hurts and people are asking me questions that are way too personal and touching me like I'm good luck charm this past week. I'm here to have fun not discuss my bowel movements because you want to win a bet" Kate told him in a dark manner, it was such a dark manner that put the fear in Jim and made him take a step back.

"Ah yeah, Id prefer you keep your bowel movements to yourself. You know keep a little of mystery alive in our friendship" Jim said. The others smiled and stifled laughs as they had all taken turns sitting with Kate. They all knew her emotions were like mini landslides and knew how to not set her off with exception of Jim who managed to forget and set her off.

"Kate, why don't you join me in the Command Centre? it's time for the twins' nap and I could use a break from all the noise and people" Alicia said, hoping Kate would take the offer even if it meant climbing a flight of stairs.

"I wouldn't mind a break from the festivities myself" Elisabeth said with a smile, Taylor nodded and handed Ava over to Elisabeth. He like the other men knew the women wanted their own space.

"Ok, but only if I get Taylor's chair" Kate said.

"Make sure your water doesn't break in my chair" Taylor told her in serious yet mocking manner he could see Kate was trying very hard not the flip him the one finger salute. Instead she pointed at him, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Oh, just for that, I'm going give birth in that chair so you'll never want to sit in it again" Kate told him, she turned and slowly progressed up the stairs a long with Alicia, Elisabeth and the twins.

"That sounds disturbingly like a promise" Evan said in a light tone. It was Taylor's turn to look at him darkly as he preferred to think of Alicia straddling him in that chair not Kate giving birth. Evan gave an smile and then whistled an innocent tune.

"Why don't we go have a quiet round in Boylan's" Jim suggested.

"Count me in" Evan said, Taylor and Malcolm nodded as they didn't have any other plans or responsibilities to oversee.

* * *

Lucas gave a growl of frustration as his plan was not going as he had planned. He had planned to black out the whole colony and in the five second gap between the blackout and back up generator kicking he could leave the cell. He figured in the dark he would be able to sneak up on one of the soldiers and stab him and get the other before he knew what was going on. Then take their weapons and run. But sadly accessing the power grid was harder than he expected.

There was also another fact that the terminus's power systems were drawing too much power from the grid and having trouble regulating it's systems. He predicted he had less than 10 minutes before it fried or overloaded. He wasn't entirely sure but then he didn't care as both would get him the results he needed.

* * *

"Kate, I think you might be in labour" Elisabeth said as Kate had disappeared into the en-suite bathroom in the Command Centre. Elisabeth had helped Alicia change and settle the babies into the cushioned playpen Taylor had in the command centre. As they were doing so, Elisabeth asked Kate about her back pain and was now thinking it was back labour. All she had to do now was convince Kate to go to the Infirmary for a scan and a physical exam. If Elisabeth was right Kate would have been in labour since last night.

"I think I agree with you" Kate said loudly from behind the closed door of the bathroom.

"Is everything ok in there?" Elisabeth asked as there was a tinge of panic in Kate's voice. She and Alicia moved to stand outside the door.

"I think my water just broke. Well breaking, I am leaking and I am so right this isn't pretty" Kate said in a slightly disgusted voice. Alicia covered her mouth as she didn't want Kate to hear her laugh while Elisabeth was trying her best not to laugh either. The woman took a deep breath and leaned against the door.

"It's just the amniotic fluid draining from you, it's supposed to happen. Look you have to open the door so we can take you to the infirmary" Elisabeth explained to her.

"No way am I trailing amniotic fluid through the command centre and through the spring festival with everyone watching" Kate told her.

"Kate, no one will care or even notice" Alicia assured her.

"Until some poor sod slips in it and breaks his neck! Can't I just wait for it drain out and then go?" Kate asked through the door.

"It doesn't work like that" Elisabeth told her as she and Alicia tried hard not to laugh at Kate but the woman wasn't making it easier.

"Come on Kate, open the door. We are all women here and we've seen it all before" Alicia told Kate through the door.

* * *

"Geez Commander I like you better and better when you're in here having a drink than when you're here arresting me and ransacking the joint" Boylan said in a jovial manner as he poured the drinks.

"It was one time" Taylor told him as he, Jim and Malcolm stood at the bar, it was busy but not packed as most people were above ground in the main square or at the rec centre where there were games and activities for the children.

"Anyway here we go" Boylan said as he placed three mugs of cider in front of the men. As they picked up their glasses and raised their glasses.

"Cheers" they said in unison clinking their glasses as they did an explosion sounded and the ground beneath their feet rumbled and shook. Fire bloomed over the ceiling momentarily and wood shards and debris rained down on them. The sprinkler system in Boylan's bar activated soaking them and dousing fire.

Taylor and others placed their glasses on the bar and quickly moved up the stairs. Taylor walked around the side the bar coughing from the acrid smoke in the air. What he saw made him stop for a second as he took in the scene before him. Half of the infirmary was levelled along with the research labs. The main square was a mess of bodies, fire and debris. He looked to the Command Centre and saw a rover had been blown into the building taking out the stairs and had exploded as the rest of the stair case was on fire.

His heart plummeted to his stomach as he thought of the twins and Alicia. That was when he caught sight of a completely dazed looking Alicia walking to the open door way to the balcony. Relieved she was alive but seeing her course he boomed in a loud voice at her to get back inside as he didn't need her walking into the flames. It seemed to snap her out her dazed state as she finally saw the fire and stepped back into the room closing the door.

He turned his attention to scene and started shouting orders to soldiers and colonists around him who who had just arrived to the site. He ordered fires to be put out and for people who were injured and mobile to be assisted and pulled out of the dangerous area. He pulled out his comm. unit and cursed as the system was down.

* * *

"You hear that?" Soldier one asked soldier two, Lucas heard as he quietly opened the door to the cell and moved quickly through the barracks it was too easy. He gripped the pen in his hand as he snuck closer to the voices, his night vision kicking in as he could just make out their figures. Luckily there commotion outside the room was enough to distract them

"Yeah, it was explosion. Comms are down better make sure the prisoner is secure and then you can check in with Guzman they might need help out there." the other soldier said, Lucas made it halfway when one of them turned on the flashlight. It was perfect timing as Lucas was close enough, he wrapped his forearm around the man's shoulders and stabbed him in the neck hard and pulled the pen out. Blood poured out of the man's neck at a fast pace as he had hit an artery. Lucas dropped the pen while the other soldier stood there momentarily shocked by Lucas's actions. Lucas pulled the dying soldier's side arm and shot the other in the head before he had a chance to pull his own trigger. Lucas's sonic hit the man in the head, his head snapped back and he collapsed to the floor. Lucas dropped his human shield and stepped over the body and walked out of the barracks.

* * *

Kate heard the explosion and felt the rumblings in the structure of the building under her feet. The lights in the bathroom went out leaving her in the pitch dark. All she could hear were the twins crying loudly and muffled voices of Alicia and Elisabeth that was before she was distracted by a contraction. She gripped the bathroom sink and tried to breathe through the sharp pain that rippled through the front of her abdomen.

She was scared, she hated small dark spaces from a bad experience in her past when she had been captured by the enemy once where being crammed into a dark hole with no exit had given her issues with claustrophobia ever since. So right now she was in small dark room and she couldn't see anything let alone the exit brought up the irrational fear and she was too scared to move.

"Kate? You ok in there?" Elisabeth asked through the door.

"No, I need help" Kate said as she tried to keep her breath normal and steady. But it didn't help she was on the verge of a panic attack.

"Ok, I'm opening the door" Elisabeth told her, and a second later the soft glow of chem. lighting filled the room from behind Kate. She turned her head to see Elisabeth and gave her a watery smile.

"Watch your step, I'd hate for you to be the poor sod who slips in my gunk" Kate joked weakly, Elisabeth gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about me, I have the appropriate footwear for all occasions including this" Elisabeth said, as she was wearing heavy duty boots.

"What happened? If the building on fire?" Kate asked as she could smell the smoke but couldn't see it.

"I think so but I don't know any of the details yet. Alicia is assessing the situation. My main concerns are the twins and you" Elisabeth said.

"Ok" Kate said tears filling her eyes as she tried to remain calm but she was completely overwhelmed. "How are the twins?" she asked. Elisabeth gave a smile.

"They are in their own little self made oxygen tent with the quilt over the pen with an oxygen tank supplying clean air. Now your turn, what's going on in here?" Elisabeth asked before she gave a cough.

"I'm having contractions and this time they are real" Kate said as she rubbed her stomach as if it would help her.

"Ok, how far apart?" Elisabeth asked her,

"Ah I don't know- damn this is so disgusting. I'm sorry" Kate said getting irrationally upset, she rubbed her face trying to focus but her brain was scattered. Elisabeth crouched down next to her and rubbed her arm.

"Remember how we talked about a positive attitude?" Elisabeth asked her.

"Yeah" Kate said looked to her and nodded.

"Why don't we try that, I'm going to help you into shower stall-"

"I can't give birth in a shower stall in the dark. I can't" Kate told her in a scared and panicked voice as she gripped Elisabeth's arm tightly. It was a punishing grip that Elisabeth was sure would bruise.

"Ok, it's just temporary it's just so I can mop up the floors after that I'll see how far along you are in your labour and we'll discuss what will happen next" Elisabeth said in a comforting manner, Kate nodded as she tried not to hyperventilate and loosened her grip on Elisabeth's arm.

"Ok first task let's get you off the floor. Up we go on three" Elisabeth said she gripped Kate in a monkey grip style with her forearms and helped Kate off the floor and careful of the amniotic fluid on the floor she moved Kate into the shower stall helped lower Kate to onto the bench in the stall.

"I'll be right back" Elisabeth told her as she placed the Chem. lantern on the bathroom vanity and left the room.

* * *

Alicia climbed down ladder from the lookout and jumped the last part to the floor. She moved to the the twins tiny enclosure lifting the quilt to see they were sleeping to the soft noise of the oxygen mask pouring a low amount of oxygen so the twins weren't entirely breathing in smoke. The fire to the building had been put out but with the limited messages with morse code. Alicia had been ordered to 'stay put' which she translated to the exits of the building being compromised and thus too dangerous to use as an exit.

She lowered the blanket and moved around the room, the place was a mess as the windows on the west side of the command centre had blown in.

Outside she could still hear people crying out in pain in the dark, the sound of fire burning and the red glow outside the windows. She had briefly looked out the windows and saw the main research labs were destroyed. The buildings nearby them didn't fare well as they were half demolished and on fire.

She and Elisabeth had been surprised when the windows blew in. Alicia had sprung into action and checked on the twins who were balling at all the noise, their play pen being at the side of the desk had save them completely from debris. She had been about to pick them up but was stopped by Elisabeth as she had a large wood splinter in her left shoulder. She didn't even feel it until Elisabeth pointed it out. She of course took over for Alicia and comforted the twins before they devised a way to stop them from getting smoke inhalation using a spare oxygen tank in the medical kit Taylor kept in the office.

Elisabeth patched Alicia's shoulder up and she went on a search for a possible exit while Elisabeth checked on Kate. She had made it the open door where majority of the smoke was pouring in only to be distracted by the devastation of the main square. She was soon snapped out of it when Taylor boomed at her and that was when she spotted the fire on the balcony and closed the door, in a vain attempt to slow the smoke from coming into the room.

She then went about getting Chem. lights set up as Elisabeth looked after Kate and she shook off all the dirt and debris off herself and climbed up the ladder into the lookout to find out the true extent of what was going on outside as the comm. system was down a long with the power.

Alicia moved to the open bathroom door and looked to Kate who didn't look happy as she tried to breath and remain calm. Alicia knew that Kate was struggling with being in the small space more than she was with the labour.

"How's it going in here?" Alicia asked.

"This boy going to come barrelling out of Kate very soon" Elisabeth said with a wry smile which earned her a glare from Kate.

"How soon?" Alicia asked with a smile as she knew later Kate would be laughing about this.

"She's already at 7cm" Elisabeth said.

"Wow" Alicia said.

"I'm not having this baby-"

"Yes you are" Alicia told her.

"Shut up and tell me what's going on outside" Kate said.

"You can't have it both ways. I can't be quiet and tell you what's going on Kate unless you want me to tell you morse code" Alicia said being contrary and because she wanted to distract Kate. It worked as Kate glared at her, something the redhead was quite good at as Alicia felt slightly threatened. She held her hands up in surrender.

"Ok, there was an explosion it's knocked out the power and destroyed the main research labs and half of the infirmary. The stairs to the ground have been destroyed and the ones at the back are on fire along with part of the building. It's being put out as we speak but I don't think we'll be getting out of here anytime soon" Alicia said.

"We're stuck in the Command Centre" Kate said.

"Yes" Alicia confirmed.

"And I'm having my baby now" Kate said.

"Yes" Elisabeth said in a comforting manner as she rubbed Kate's back in a soothing manner to help her keep calm. Kate nodded as she took in the information but Alicia could see the woman was barely keeping it together. Something she couldn't blame her on as being in labour was not easy especially when it wasn't going exactly how you planned it to go.

"Right, we can do this right?" Kate asked them.

"Of course, we can. I'm going to clean up the main room so we can bring you out there to continue labouring before you transition into active labour" Alicia told her.

"Ok" Kate said with a nod.

* * *

_TBC-Thank you for all the reviews and Cya all soon_


	64. Chapter 64

"Current count; 230 people unaccounted, 16 fatalities and 10 critical and many with minor injuries. Not including the body parts that will need to be identified. Carter has managed to reactivate the Comm. systems but we are not allowed to know who or how it was done" Guzman said to Taylor as they stood at the remains of the main square. Injured personnel and colonists were still being medivaced out of the area by medical staff to the gym that had been transformed into a make shift infirmary. The rec centre had become a shelter for the kids and uninjured colonists to crowd until they finished preliminary damage control.

"Fine, let him have his secrets for now. I want secure this area off completely and transport all no injured colonists away from this site and back to their houses. I want every ID card logged" Taylor said as he looked around the area at soldiers putting out the remaining fires. Malcolm was sifting through the wreck with a few other scientists looking at what they could salvage from the infirmary.

"Yes Sir, there's also a problem-" Guzman started but Taylor cut him off.

"Look around we have problems coming out of our collective asses just say it" Taylor told him, a crash sounded as the stairs and half the balcony on the command centre broke away and crashed to the ground. Taylor inwardly groaned as he had hoped the stairs would hold long enough to evacuate Alicia and the others trapped in the command centre.

"Lucas has escaped" Guzman told him in a low voice. Taylor's eyes snapped to look at Guzman.

"What do you mean he escaped? How?" Taylor demanded, apparently luck was not on his side at all. Guzman was unfazed by Taylor's surly disposition and spoke calmly.

"I don't know but his two guards are dead and he has a sonic pistol. He left everything else behind. I tracked him as far as the rec centre but lost him in the mess of footprints. I doubt he looked out of place considering the drama of what was going on and the lack of lighting." Guzman said with a half shrug. Taylor pinched the bridge of his nose and gave a nod.

"Ok I want every soldier on alert for him, see if Carter's friend can get the surveillance feeds up." Taylor said as he knew a search party would be a waste of time and impossible to organise in their current condition. There was also the fact that Lucas could run them round in circles thus it was better to let Lucas surface on his own.

"Won't work without more power which won't back on for at least another five hours or so I was told" Guzman said.

"Alright, you said he left everything else behind?" Taylor asked Guzman, the man nodded. "Then we can assume he's either going OTG or coming after myself or Kate"

"I guess it's fortunate Kate is out of reach." Guzman commented in a dry tone. Taylor wore a wry smile and was about say something but stopped as Taylor's comm. unit activated with Alicia's voice.

_"Commander Taylor come in_" she said her tone stern and professional. Old habits truly died hard with Alicia, Taylor mused as he answered.

"Taylor here" he said as he switched them to a private line. He didn't need all his soldiers listening in.

_"It's Wash, I'm in the Lookout_" Alicia said, Taylor moved to the edge of the gates and looked up to see Alicia waving from the Lookout. He waved back and she dropped her arm.

"Hey, you and the women ok? Any smoke inhalation issues?" He asked her with concern. He would have to get the debris around the Command Centre removed so they could access the building with a long ladder or the Cherry Picker.

_"No, we're good for now thanks to that breeze coming through but some ventilations fans would be appreciated among some other items_" she told him.

"I'll get right onto it. How's the pregnant woman going? Tell me she isn't keeping her promise of birthing that kid in my chair" Taylor said. Alicia chuckled.

"_Your chair is safe, we're still cleaning up the main room. But your bathroom isn't. Her water broke when the explosion happened, she's in labour. So I'd appreciate it if you tell me were the balcony didn't just fall out and that we can bring her out_" she told him, he could hear the stress in her voice that said she was not going to welcome the truth but he couldn't lie to her.

"Sorry but you can't leave. That crash you heard a moment ago was the stairs and balcony. You ladies are going to have to sit tight for a six to eight hours. The Cherry picker is on the other side of the colony. I assume we have time until the actual birth and Kate's in good shape?" Taylor asked. He motioned to Guzman to join him at the gates as the Sergeant had been waiting patiently to be dismissed and continue with his current duties.

"_Ah not looking that way, Elisabeth told me it's going to be a quick one. Possibly in the next three to four hours. So we'll need some items to prep the space for the delivery and I need some things for the twins_" Alicia told him.

"Alright tell me what you need" he told her, Guzman pulled out his hand held plex and took down the list of supplies as they listened to her list.

_"...That's it_" She said as Taylor repeated the list back to her.

"I'll see what I can rustle up, Taylor out" Taylor turned his attention to Guzman. He pocketed the comm. unit and looked to Guzman.

"Sir, what do you want to do in regards to Lucas?" Guzman asked.

"Leave him to me, you get on with your duties and see if you can get that gear up to the women. Dismissed" Taylor told him.

"Yes, Sir" Guzman said he turned on his feet and took off. Taylor navigated his way carefully through the debris until he was shouting distance. He didn't want to get any closer in case he stepped on something important.

"Malcolm!" he barked, the man looked up from what he was doing and Taylor waved him over. Malcolm took his sweet time walking through mess but once he was clear he sidled up to Taylor and they walked to the main square a few feet away.

"Commander Taylor?" Malcolm asked.

"I wanted to let you know, your wife is safe and sound. She is also in labour" Taylor told him. He hadn't had the pleasure of breaking such news since Tasha Guzman was born. It took Malcolm a moment to process the information.

"Now?!" he asked in a shocked manner. "Kate goes into Labour now?" he asked Taylor smiled.

"Yes, Wash will keep us updated and until we find a way to reach them and get you up there so you don't miss a thing. Ok?" Taylor told him.

"Yes" Malcolm said as his eyes looked up at the Command Centre.

"Now do you have any information on what happened?" Taylor asked.

"The Terminus exploded and well as you can see" Malcolm said as he gestured to the destruction.

"How?" Taylor asked him. Malcolm shook his head and gave a shrug.

"I haven't the foggiest idea. Evan has been ensconced with the Sixers in their 'undisclosed' area trying to figure it out because it shouldn't have happened. We were running diagnostics on minimal power. Something we have been doing for the past couple of weeks with no issues or any signs that this would happen. Even so we had many safety measures and protocols set up to shut down the power in the event-" Malcolm said.

"I'm not pointing fingers at anyone" Taylor said.

"I know but I can't understand it" Malcolm said.

"I'm sure we'll find out our answers." Taylor said as he clasp the man on the shoulder and gave it a squeeze to comfort him. Malcolm took a deep breath and nodded as he wanted more than anything else to be in the Command Centre. He also knew no matter how hard he tried he was not going to bale to think about anything else but Kate and their son.

"Is there anything I can do to help Kate?" he asked Taylor but before the man could answer Dr Hastings ran up to them.

"Has anyone located Dr Shannon?" Dr Hastings asked them.

"She's in the command centre" Taylor told him.

"I need her on the ground now" Hastings said.

"In case you haven't noticed she's stuck in the Command centre. So make do without her" Taylor told him. He motioned for Jim to come to him and join them.

"You find your kids?" Taylor asked when Jim sidled up to the group. He hoped Hastings took a hint and went back to saving lives and treating the injured patients. Luckily he did and left Taylor, Malcolm and Jim to their own devices.

"Maddy and Zoe are in the Rec Centre with Evan's brood. I haven't found Josh" Jim said as he looked to Malcolm noting the man was looking at the Command Centre with concern.

"I found your wife, she's in the Command Centre and completely fine" Taylor assured him.

"Which is inaccessible" Jim said looking at the Command Centre noting the balcony and stairs were gone.

"My wife and twins are in there too" Taylor told him. He pulled Jim back a few steps away from Malcolm. "We also have another situation" he said in a low voice to Jim.

"Another situation. Ok" Jim said curious as to why they had stepped away from Malcolm.

"Well two situations. Kate is in labour and Lucas has escaped and is currently on the loose" Taylor informed him. Jim's eyebrows rose at the information and gave a wry smile.

"Oh that's just great." Jim said sarcastically.

* * *

Lucas made it to the far east side of the colony where majority of the sixers resided. Only they would be set up in luxury. He moved to Mira's dwellings and noted that candles were burning and saw through the frosted glass that a little girl he assumed was her daughter sat with a woman he remembered seeing around the sixer camp but couldn't remember her name.

He moved around to the front of the house and double checked no one was around before he pulled out the pistol.

He knocked on the door and heard the woman tell the girl she'd get it. A second later the door opened and he saw the surprised expression crest on her face before he pulled the trigger.

The woman's head snapped back from the force of the blast and she dropped to the floor. The little girl froze at the table staring at him wide eyed in complete fear. Lucas pushed the dead woman's body with his foot out of the doorway and closed the front door and looked to the girl.

"Hello, you must be Sienna" he said to her.

* * *

After a couple of hours some semblance of peace had returned to the colony as majority of the civilian population were logged as alive and moved around the blast zone and returned safely back to their houses. Debris from around the Command Centre had been cleared away and Guzman had procured every Alicia asked for.

Taylor thanked his lucky stars that the explosion had happened when the festival was in a lull where half of the people went home for dinner. There were still many lives unaccounted for and he already had soldiers bagging and tagging remains to be tested. It would take days to sort through the mess.

There was nothing he could do but direct traffic and working through his current challenge of getting a very pregnant and in labour Kate out of his Command Centre before she gave birth to her son. Guzman with Malcolm's help had managed to get up majority of the supplies Alicia requested up into the building but getting the more delicate medical instruments up to them was proving harder than expected. Baz and Jim were retrieving a Cherry picker but it would take another two hours as it was moving at a slower speed.

_"Taylor, what's the go on the stuff I asked for?"_ Alicia asked over the comm. line as she looked at him through the front doors of the command centre where they led out to nothing but thin air and a one and half story fall.

"We can't get it up to you safely and the cherry picker broke down, it's getting repaired but it'll take awhile" he told her.

"_Use a Rhino_" Alicia told him.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"_Move a Rhino to the door of the command Centre where the balcony has fallen and then climb on top of it and pass the machine up to me and Elisabeth_" Alicia said.

"Huh, good thinking. How's it going in there?" he asked.

_"Good, the supplies are greatly appreciated" _Alicia told him.

"I'm not hearing a lot of screaming coming from there. Kate still alive?" Taylor asked not that he expected Kate to scream her lungs out. He knew she had a high pain threshold but some noise from her would be reassuring for him.

_"Yeah, she's more about spewing foul language and deep breathing than screaming. That might change"_ Alicia said and as if on cue he heard Kate faintly over the comm. say a slew of curse words that made him blush. Alicia chuckled.

"Ok, I'm going to get Malcolm over here to take over so I can get that scanner and monitor up to you" Taylor said to her.

_"Would be appreciated"_

Taylor pocketed his comm and called Malcolm over and they discussed the logistics of that they needed to do. The man nodded in comprehension and they moved to the nearest rhino and drove it into position under the open door of the Command Centre. He was amazed he hadn't thought of the idea himself. He parked the Rhino and pulled the hand brake and moved into the back and popped the hatch and climbed onto the roof.

* * *

"Maybe I should pass the twins down to you" Alicia said as she took the bag with the delicate equipment and lifted into the room via the open doorway. She had laid down on the floor so she could brace her weight and pull up the machines Taylor was going to pass her.

"Don't even think about it" Taylor called up to them. They had to stretch to their limit just to pass the equipment. That and he wanted the twins and Alicia safely squared away in the Command Centre out of Lucas's reach.

"How long until we have power?" Alicia asked him as they longer needed their comm. units to converse with one another.

"Not sure. Do you need anything else?" Taylor asked as he passed up some more equipment to Alicia.

"Alcohol and KABAR" Kate called out from inside the room. Taylor looked to Alicia with a 'Is she being serious' look. Alicia smiled and looked over her shoulder at Kate.

"You know Alcohol will only slow down the labour and I don't want to know what you want a KABAR for" Alicia told her before she looked to Taylor couldn't see into the room but he could tell from her voice she was in a lot of pain and exhausted. Alicia looked at him with amused smile on face.

"Don't worry about her, she's just joking" Alicia told him.

"No I'm not" Kate called out.

"Alicia, you ready for the next item, you'll need to clear some space if you haven't already" Taylor said, Alicia smiled as she looked down at Malcolm who gave a smile. He was going to be entering a room which he was not prepared for.

"You're good to go" Alicia said as she moved out of the way. A second later, Malcolm gripped the floor and with a boost from Taylor he pulled himself into the room.

* * *

Kate who was kneeling on the floor which was covered in plastic sheeting and towels in the middle of the Command Centre floor. She laid down in 'child's pose' vainly trying to control her breathing. It wasn't her choice of locales to give birth but it was clean and Alicia assured her the soldiers were ordered not to leave the lookout or peer into the room and they'd keep the door closed when the time came. Anywhere but the dark shower stall was better and Elisabeth said it would be easier as they had more space to move around.

Kate lifted her head at the sound of Malcolm exerting himself to him climb into the room. She watched as he dusted off his hands and stuck his head out the open saying a 'thanks' to Taylor before he looked at her. She sat back onto her arms and stretched her legs out shaking them in the hopes of releasing some tension in her body.

"I am not a pretty sight" Kate told him with a sardonic smile. She was glistening with sweat, her hair had been pulled into a top bun but stray strands hung damp and limp around her face. He could see the pain twitching in her already exhausted expression as she rubbed her stomach and closed her eyes breathing through the pain. She was pretty sure the pain was just getting worse than better she was truly trying to see how any of it was a miracle as it felt like she was in hell.

"You're beautiful to me" he told her, it made her smile as she actually believed him. He moved to her and knelt down by her side. He saw a bowl of water with a wash cloth and picked up the wash cloth squeezing out the excess water before wiping her brow. She gave a soft sigh and grabbed his arm resting her head on his shoulder drawing strength from him.

Alicia said her goodbyes to Taylor before she closed the doors to the room for privacy and Elisabeth pulled out a diagnostic scanner and ran it over Kate. She gave a smile as she looked over the results.

"Ok, Kate I have to take a look to see how far you've progressed now" Elisabeth said, Kate nodded letting go of Malcolm and with Elisabeth's help moved herself into position. Elisabeth looked under the gown to see how dilated Kate was.

"Looks like it's show time people" Elisabeth told them.

"Seriously? I thought the first child take hours" Malcolm said.

"It has been hours" Kate groaned in pain as she dropped her head back.

"Kate's possibly been in labour since yesterday, but hey bright side it looks like my brother might win this bet after all" Alicia said with a smile as she joined them on the floor after checking that the twins were asleep. She just hoped that they would stay asleep through the final stages of Kate's delivery.

"I'm so happy I could oblige Evan." Kate said sarcastically in breathless voice.

"Malcolm, I want you to move behind Kate and support her. How do you want to do this?" Elisabeth asked Kate.

"You know I like the idea of getting sloshed and delaying this thing" Kate told them.

"Not an option now" Alicia told her.

"It was an option?!" Kate asked in disbelief, her jaw dropped as she looked at them.

"No, now let's get you into a more comfortable position" Elisabeth said.

"I don't believe there is such a thing" Kate grumbled as Malcolm helped her up off the floor.

* * *

"I'm going to go check on my daughter, are you all able to behave without supervision?" Mira asked as she looked at Carter who was supervising Evan and Daniel who were busy trying to rally up power and rewrite code to have power navigate around the damaged areas.

"Yeah, we're good." Carter said to her.

"Alright, if you need me just give me a buzz" she told them, Carter gave a nod and with that Mira took her leave. She left the house and immediately bumped into Guzman.

"Guzman" Mira said.

"I found the secret location" Guzman stated in a mocking tone.

"Not that hard considering it's the only house with its lights on." Mira said, it was true as it was the only house in the area with power thanks to a back up generator.

"What's the update on the power situation?" Guzman asked her.

"Still working on it, you seemed to be pushing it hard. What's deal about living without power for a little while? Are you afraid of the dark?" Mira asked in her own mocking manner.

"No, but we need the security cameras on and the lights might help in the Command Centre considering Kate's in labour. It'll also help if we can get the temporary infirmary off the generators" Guzman told her.

"About time. You seem pretty tense for something rather straight forward or is there something else?"

"Lucas Taylor has escaped, he's armed and we need the feeds up to track him down"

"Talk to Carter and get him to squeeze the boys" Mira said as she knocked on the door for him. "I'm going home" she told him.

"Be careful, and if you run into Lucas do not engage with him" Guzman told her.

"Didn't know you even cared" Mira drawled as she walked away. After a ten minute walk in the dark Mira made it home and opened the door.

"I'm hom-" Mira stopped mid word as Lucy was on the floor, dead with her eyes open and glassy. Mira looked up to the dining table and saw Lucas sitting at the table next to her terrified daughter. He held a pistol pointed at her and smiled.

"Welcome home" Lucas said to her.

"Lucas, what are you doing here? How did you even know I lived here?"

"Everything is stored electronically and I need a place lay low for awhile. I think you owe me that much and if you don't well I have a gun and I'm not averse to killing your daughter. Perhaps you should close the door" Lucas told her.

Mira did as he suggested and wondered what her chances were of killing Lucas before he had a chance to pull the trigger on Sienna. The thought was squashed immediately as she wouldn't risk her daughter.

* * *

An hour later, Taylor heard Kate swear loudly and in a pained voice. He inwardly winced as he knew it had to hurt really bad for Kate to be making so much noise as she had a pretty high pain threshold. He was just glad the twins weren't old enough to understand or pick up Kate's foul language. Guzman walked up to his side and passed him a plex.

"Latest count Sir" Guzman said.

"30 unaccounted for. 23 confirmed fatalities." Taylor said reading the plex. "You seen Shannon's boy?" he asked before handing back to Guzman.

"Yeah, he, Skye, Tasha and the others in their merry band are trashed at their place. I informed the sheriff." Guzman said.

"I guess that's a small blessing but they will have to be punished for underage drinking" Taylor remarked.

"Of course Sir" Guzman said.

"What's the sitrep on power?" Taylor asked.

"Should be up in the next hour. We haven't found Lucas but the security feeds are back up and still no sign of Lucas. I have soldiers searching the east side of the colony but he could be anywhere. How's it going in there?" Guzman asked gesturing to the Command Centre.

"I don't know, Wash isn't answering my calls I'd say it's in full swing. It could be a while yet" Taylor said.

"Or not" Guzman remarked as baby cry sounded into the air.

* * *

"Whoa, he's one angry little fellow" Malcolm said with a laugh as his son was blotchy, covered in blood and muck looking very unhappy and squalling loudly. Kate laughed emotionally as they sunk onto the floor.

"Good work, Kate." Elisabeth said with a smile.

Malcolm stared in wonder at the new life, astonished by what Kate had done. Astonished he was a part of it and been there. Elisabeth clamped and cut the umbilical cord, and then Alicia wrapped the squalling baby in a new, dry blanket. Malcolm moved in behind Kate and she immediately relaxed against his chest, exhausted but incredibly overwhelmed in the moment. Alicia move toward them with their son. Even she was looked emotional from moment as she smiled brilliantly.

"Here he is with a full head of hair to boot" Alicia said as she placed the baby in Kate's arms who laughed as she took shaky hold of her son.

"He was in there long enough" Kate said in good humour as she snuggled the baby and kissed the baby boy's forehead not even bothered by the blood and muck. Malcolm pressed his lips to her shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her supporting her arms as he could feel her muscles quivering in fatigue and weakness but also because he wanted to.

Kate turned her head and looked into his eyes. She reached a shaky hand to his face and wiped the tears from his cheeks. Tears he had absolutely no idea had been there.

"We did a good job" She told him in a breathless voice with a smile on her face.

"It was all you" he said before they shared a brief kiss before they looked down at their child.

"No stitches needed though we'll have to keep on the bleeding but for now let's get everything cleaned up quickly" Elisabeth said in a low but casual tone to Alicia as they cleaned up the afterbirth and mess into biohazard plastic bags to dispose of later before Kate or Malcolm noticed. "Kate, it's time to feed the baby" Elisabeth said getting the couple's attention.

"Ah yeah" Kate said in a slight daze. She fumbled with the strap of her dress. Malcolm came to the rescue and undid the clip on the front of the gown she had been changed into exposing her breast before helping her position the baby, who was screaming madly. And then suddenly the baby stopped and latched onto Kate's nipple. "That's new" Kate said shakily as the baby suckled, making precious little noises.

Malcolm watched for a few moments and supported Kate as she bone tired and leaning heavily on him. He looked to Alicia and Elisabeth who were talking in low tones still cleaning up.

"Everything ok?" Malcolm asked as he noticed the blood, it looked like a lot and his mind was going into overdrive as he wondered if Kate's fatigue was more than just giving birth but from immense blood loss.

"Yes, it's nothing to worry about." Elisabeth assured him, as Alicia moved to the ensuite bathroom with a wash basin and came back with it clean and filled with water placing it on the conference table.

She moved back to where Malcolm and Kate were and knelt down. "How you doing there Kate?" she asked her.

"Shaky but ok" Kate said with a smile looking up at Alicia.

"Good why don't Malcolm and I clean up the little guy while you get some rest" Alicia suggested to her.

"I'm not ready to let go yet" Kate said somewhat reluctantly as she held her son.

"Ok, well we still need to clean him up and do a check up. Only a few minutes and then he's all yours again" Alicia assured her.

"Alright, I might need some help" Kate said, Malcolm helped lift the baby out Kate's tired arms and handed him to Alicia. He watched as Alicia took the greatest care in washing his son and looked down to see Kate had drifted off into an exhausted sleep. He kissed her forehead gently before he carefully extracted himself from behind her and pulled some pillows that had been placed to side and placed them under Kate making her comfortable.

Alicia touched his shoulder and he turned getting to his feet with a smile as Alicia held his son cleaned, diapered and bundled up in a blanket. "Here you go" She said as she handed the baby over to him.

"Thank you, Thank you so much. You both- I- yeah thank you" he said to Alicia and Elisabeth as he held his son.

"You're welcome but we didn't do much. So do you and Kate have a name or we calling him Baby Wallace" Alicia asked in a teasing manner as she remember her baby girls being called 'Baby Wash' and 'Baby Taylor'. It seemed like a lifetime ago but her babies were pretty content as they luckily slept through the gory parts and Kate's cursing. She couldn't scream like every other woman. No, she had to swear loudly and expand everyone's vocabulary of curse words.

"Caleb after Kate's Grandfather" Malcolm said as he looked down at the baby boy who was peacefully asleep in his arms. He was so incredibly small and precious. He felt a reaffirmation at how completely and utterly in love and whole he felt with Kate and Caleb in his life.

"A good strong name, you mind if I share the good news?" Alicia asked pulling out her comm.

"Go ahead" he said, he smiled as Alicia moved up into the lookout to make the call. Elisabeth was by Kate's side running scans and checking over the results. He couldn't help but notice how Kate was dead to the world as she didn't even move, when she normally slept he noticed she would twitch in her sleep at innocuous noises but not now.

"Is everything ok with Kate?" Malcolm asked with concern, Elisabeth looked up from her plex and gave a nod.

"Yes, she'll make a full recovery. She and Caleb are in great shape" Elisabeth assured him.

"I was afraid about the amount of blood and now she's asleep" Malcolm said as he pulled a chair from the table and sat down. Elisabeth was scanning Kate with a hand held diagnostic scanner, she then placed a hand feeling Kate's lower abdomen.

"Some mothers stay jived for hours and others fall asleep. There's nothing to suggest anything wrong and as for the blood well Redhead patients tend to bleed more than other patients. No two patients are the same" she told him.

"That is very true" Alicia said as she rejoined the room and started packing up the unused items on the table. He was impressed at they had kept the command centre relatively clean during the whole proceeding. The floor would need a good mop but other than that there was no real mess. But then it was hard to tell in the low lighting of the chem. lights.

"Don't worry so much Malcolm. Kate should look a little brighter after a couple of hours rest and some food and liquids." Elisabeth said.

"So what's going to happen for tonight? The Infirmary is not exactly operational, the recreational centre has been transformed into a temporary infirmary but I don't-" Malcolm started but Alicia cut him off.

"Well I know Taylor pulled a spare bio-bed out of storage" Alicia said.

"We'll run scans on Kate and little Caleb but I can't see why you three can't go home tonight" Elisabeth told him.

"I like the sound of that" Malcolm said in an exhausted voice as he felt light headed and shaky from the experience, the lights in the command centre turned on. They all shared a smile and sigh of relief as it was a good to have proper lighting. He looked over to Kate who was still asleep, he didn't blame her for nodding off considering how little she had slept in the last couple weeks due to her size.

"Just have to wait for that cherry picker" Alicia said as she rose from her chair and moved over to the play pen to check on her twins. She found them blissfully asleep and thankful that they hadn't fussed too much through Kate's labour.

"It should be here in what? A few hours" Malcolm joked.

"We'll let Kate sleep for an hour and a half before we put her in the shower and some fresh clothes" Alicia said. Malcolm frowned as he didn't want to disturb Kate.

"Trust me Malcolm she won't like it but she'll appreciate it and by then Caleb will need another feed" Elisabeth told him as she pulled out the scanner and scanned Kate double checking everything was alright. Malcolm watched her carefully for any signs that there was something wrong but Elisabeth looked happy with what she read on her hand held plex where the results displayed.

"Right of course" Malcolm said with a soft smile as he turned his attention to the little baby Caleb in his arms, smiling softly as his little boy was healthy and in his arms sleeping peacefully.

* * *

TBC-Cya all hopefully very soon and thank you for reading and reviewing! (I'm only 7 away from 100 reviews *wink wink nudge nudge*)


	65. Chapter 65

"What's your plan here?" Mira asked Lucas, she glared at him coldly not showing her fear for Sienna's safety as her little girl was sitting the chair next to Lucas staring at the table with wide eyes scared.

"Well if little Sienna here doesn't move then I plan on using you and the sixers to get me what I want"

"What do you mean if Sienna doesn't move?"

"Well I had to make a pit stop at the armoury. Left unguarded but then a massive explosion will garner attention. So I picked up a few items like a sonic pressure mine"

"You have my daughter on a sonice pressure mine made to stun and deter dinosaurs"

"Yeah you know it stuns a dino but it will rip your daughter and everyone within a 3 meter radius to shreds. It's on a timer" Lucas said in an excited tone. Mira had thought the gun made the situation easy to handle once she was picked up as missing but a pressure mine made the situation impossible.

"How long?" Mira told him.

"6 hours but if she moves or gets up well it's goodbye and goodnight from us all" Lucas said.

"What do you want?" Mira asked coldly as she couldn't believe she was being held over a barrel by Lucas of all people.

"I want a family reunion and you're going to help me. First you and your sixers are going to make it look like I left the colony. Make father chase after that ghost thinking I'm going after the rift. I need him far away. Then you're going to bring Lieutenant Washington and my half sisters to me" Lucas said.

"Then what?" she asked, she knew it was better not to know so her conscious could stay clean but she lived in the colony and while she wasn't best friends with Alicia or Taylor she did have a rather productive alliance with them. One she knew she would lose.

"I'll give you the remote and the code to deactivate the pressure mine if little Sienna doesn't move. I already told her in graphic detail what will happen if she stands up" Lucas said with a smile. Mira wanted to kill him but couldn't until Sienna was safe. Her little girl shrunk down in her seat and fresh tears streaked down her face making Mira ache painfully as she wanted to console her before she looked back at Lucas coldly.

"Fine, I'll help you and if you survive your family reunion I'll be coming after you" she told him darkly. Lucas smiled.

"I look forward it but for now this is your new comm. It's an open party line, I'll be able to hear everything you say so no giving anyone any warnings" he told her as he pulled out a comm unit that had blood smudged on it. He tossed it on the table next to his gun. He didn't need it as he had Sienna hostage on a live mine. Mira stared at him darkly as she picked up the comm. and placed it in the top pocket of her scoop neck t shirt.

"I want a moment alone with my daughter before I do your bidding" Mira drawled in a dark tone. Lucas gave a shrug as his picked up the gun and moved to the side of the room giving no privacy at all. Mira moved to her daughter and saw she was indeed sitting on the pressure plate of sonic mine. She cupped her daughter's face with both of her hands and brushed the tears from her face with her thumbs.

"Hey, look at me" Mira said gently to her daughter, Sienna looked her in the eyes. "You're the bravest and smartest girl I know which means I know you can sit here without moving" she said to Sienna holding her gaze and looking at her confidently as she wanted her daughter to feed off her confidence in her.

"I want to move" Sienna said in a small voice.

"I know but I need you to stay put and when this is all over we're going to have a mummy daughter day. We'll stay indoors and watch movies, eat sorbet and anything you else you can think of. So while sitting here I want you to make a list of the movies and food in your head ok?" Mira told her, Sienna nodded. Mira smiled.

"You're my girl." Mira said as she kissed Sienna's forehead.

"Are you leaving?" Sienna asked panic marring her features.

"I have to but I'll be back very soon. Just be a good girl and stay as you are" Mira told her.

"Ok" Sienna said, she looked down as fat tears rolled down her face. Mira wished she could cry herself but she had shown enough weakness in front of Lucas. She rose to her feet and looked at Lucas.

"Don't disappoint me Mira" Lucas told her. Mira narrowed her eyes at him, a fierce anger rising in her as she wanted to kill him but instead of acting on it. She turned on her feet and left the house. Once outside she took a deep fortifying breath before she made her way back to Carter's house.

* * *

"Hello, you're a very handsome boy. Yes you are" Elisabeth cooed at Caleb in a soft tones as she ran a few diagnostics scans she could help but melt into a puddle of mush around babies even ones who were blissfully resting as Caleb and not responding with smiles yet. He just looked up at her in a daze of sorts as he took in his world and testing his arms and legs.

"You know you can't take him home" Malcolm joked as he sat in a chair by the table she had Caleb on. Elisabeth smiled at Malcolm.

"Of course, Jim doesn't like it when I bring home stray children" Elisabeth said as she turned her attention to the hand held plex on the table next to Caleb. she looked down at the results. Everything looked perfect and well within healthy parameters as she expected.

"If I remember rightly you wanted a whole brood of children" Malcolm commented, he remembered it being a topic of conversation that made him balk as he never saw himself having a family and if he did. He figured on maybe one but that was it while Elisabeth wished for more than two. He had been afraid to ask the number as she had that look that it would be higher than three.

"Yeah well we all have dreams not all of them are a viable option" Elisabeth said with a smile though there was a small note of wistfulness to her tone.

"You're still young, plenty of time" Malcolm said he wasn't sure if it was the right response but he didn't know how to respond.

"I think Jim and I are pretty set with the three we have" Elisabeth told him. Malcolm wondered if it was Jim who was set and unmoving on the subject while Elisabeth was waiting patiently for him to change his mind. She had with him, until they reached a point where she didn't want to settle for less and moved on. He didn't blame her as it was a valid reason for breaking up. They wanted different things.

"Do you think they've drowned in there?" Malcolm asked changing topics as he tilted his head the bathroom where the shower was still running. Elisabeth chuckled.

"No, you know Kate she is independent and probably refusing help so it's taking a little longer than normal but Alicia's in there so if Kate gets faint. Alicia would call out for help before proceeding with mouth to mouth" Elisabeth said with a teasing smile as Malcolm was a very involved husband and father. He wanted to help with everything, certianly not a bad thing in Elisabeth's opinion.

"I don't know why I couldn't be in there?" Malcolm said slightly pouting as he wanted to take care of his wife. He reached out and touched his son's tiny bare foot marvelling at the size. Kate had been so large and pregnant he was sure Caleb was going to be a toddler when he came out but he was a small bundle and so light.

"Every woman is different Malcolm. I can't really answer that question but don't be insulted, it might be that she wants you to stay with Caleb. So relax, you'll be taking care of Kate and Caleb all by yourself soon enough" Elisabeth said as she swaddled the baby back up into his cotton blanket and handed him into Malcolm's arms.

"Yes, Liz" he said in a droll tone as he felt like she was parenting him. He heard the shower turn off and the Kate and Alicia speaking to one another if it was anything like the earlier conversation Kate would be saying something about their friendship graduating to a 'special' level. Several minutes passed and the door opened with Kate and Alicia came out walking slowly.

Kate looked brighter and happier for her shower as Alicia helped her to the one person cot Taylor had brought them. Kate sighed blissfully as she laid down onto the cot. She looked over at Malcolm and gave him a wink.

"How was the shower?" Malcolm said as he rose from his chair and moved over to where Kate was and knelt down next to the cot so he wasn't towering over her.

"Beautiful, how's Caleb?" Kate asked as she moved onto her side and played with Caleb's hair enjoying the softness. A smile playing on her lips.

"Perfect, you want a hold?" he asked her. He loved the smile on her lips and how relaxed she was after the last week of crankiness, sore muscles it made for a nice change. Kate shook her head.

"Nah I'll get my turn soon enough when he gets hungry " She told him with a smile as she looked between Malcolm and her son.

* * *

"I'm sorry, what?" Carter asked as he was pretty sure he didn't hear Mira correctly when she pulled him out into his backyard to talk to him. She had just told him that her daughter was literally sitting on a ticking bomb and Lucas was holding them hostage until the caved to his demands and gave him what he wanted.

"Lucas is holding Sienna hostage and he wants us –" Mira started but he cut her off with a dissmisive hand wave that usually got him a dark look or punched depending on the matter but this time Mira closed her mouth and looked at him expectantly.

"Oh I got all of that but I'm wondering why we would consider helping him when we can just turn him over to Taylor. Let them sort it out" Carter said. Mira pursed her lips.

"Did I forget to mention he has Sienna sitting on a sonic pressure mine. It's locked with a remote key and a timer that is counting down as we speak?" Mira asked dryly. She wished she could tell Carter that Lucas was listening in but she was not going to risk her daughter's life any further. She was playing it straight for now.

"No but you do realise that by helping Lucas we break any trust between Taylor and our people. We could be banished or put in a pod for the rest of our days. Which I doesn't tickle pink here" Carter said in a low voice.

"I know but I care more about my daughter surviving this. She's my world" Mira told him in a low and desperate voice. Carter swoer under his breath and shook his head. He turned his back on her as he gave the situation thought. Apparently it didn't take long for him as a few seconds later he turned to face her again and nodded resolved in his decision.

"Ok, how do you want to do this? because we are close to bringing up the security feeds" Carter told her.

"Get Jeremy to do a runner, he looks vaguely like Lucas from a distance. He takes one of our stashed away vehicles and heads north east. I'll need You and Daniel make sure Taylor goes after him and once he's out of the colony we'll work on getting Alicia and the twins to Lucas" Mira said to him.

"This makes me feel dirty, we're handing relatively innocent people over to Lucas to do whatever he pleases. Can't we leave the twins out of it? not that I'm a fan but Kate is going kill us when she finds out we played a large role in whatever happens." Carter pointed out.

"No, it's the whole family. Lieutenant Washington is a big girl and when she married Taylor she married his baggage. It's time they sorted it out" Mira said.

"Ok but once those twins are out of the command centre with Alicia they'll be heavily guarded. This isn't a simple snatch and grab." Carter said.

"I'll find a way around it but for now work on getting Taylor out of the colony." Mira told him.

"Ok, I'll leave the planning to you as I will get Daniel in on the loop" Carter said he turned to go back inside when Mira stopped him with a hand on his arm. He looked down at her hand then at her as Mira was not a 'touchy feely' person.

"Leave Evan out of it. I don't need him tipping off anyone" Mira said to her.

"Alright, so we're playing to Lucas's tune yet again" Carter remarked dryly.

"The last time I assure you" Mira said.

* * *

"The Cherry picker is nearly here but we have the situation that Lucas escaped during the black out and is on the loose" Taylor said as he, Jim, Alicia, Elisabeth and Malcolm sat at the conference table. Malcolm cradled Caleb in his arms too jived to let his son go and there was no cot in the room to place the baby boy down for a comfortable rest. Kate was on the cot fast asleep, the twins were doing the same in their playpen completely undisturbed by the conversation happening in the room.

Taylor and Jim had climbed into the Command Centre via a long ladder they had borrowed from construction site on the west perimeter that was now propped at the opened doors.

"No one has tracked him down yet?" Elisabeth asked.

"Too much ground to cover. We don't know where he is but we do know he's coming after me" Taylor said as sat back in his chair looking displeased. It was nearly

"Or Kate" Jim said. Taylor looked at him and Jim gave a slight shrug. "Hey we all know his two favourite topics are how you and Kate are doing in life. So it's not that much of a leap to think he might come after Kate" he said.

"Kate is in no condition to fight or to protect herself" Malcolm said, fear and concern gripping him as he felt how fragile his current world was. Caleb made a small noise that caught his attention and he realised he must have tightened his hold on the boy. He loosened his arms and readjusted Caleb into hopefully a more comfortable position. It seemed to work as Caleb settled down and went back to sleep with a peaceful expression.

"I realise this but I also know you three will be more comfortable in your home." Taylor said, he had contemplated keeping them in the Command Centre overnight but he didn't want to risk leaving them all as easy targets. There was the fact that Kate and Caleb needed to be scanned by a bio-bed to double check she and the infant were recovering nicely.

"So we're going home?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes, it's best to keep you all split up. Alicia and the twins will stay at our home and Malcolm, you and your family will go to your home. We already have guards stationed around the houses. It's the best we can do for the time being" Taylor told him.

"No offence, but that didn't stop the last person who came after us" Malcolm said. Taylor gave him a look of understanding as he knew exactly how Malcolm felt. He didn't want to put his children or Alicia in danger but it seemed like there was no safe place for him to leave them.

"It will be different this time. We'll have the guards out of plain view and the Sixers will be watching the security feed. I don't believe your family the primary target. Excuse me" Taylor said his comm unit beeped with a message. He pulled it from his pocket and opened it.

'_Security feeds up, __Lucas has been spotted. Leaving Colony East perimeter'  
_

"What is it?" Alicia asked after Taylor read the message.

"Lucas has surfaced" Taylor said as he rose from his chair. He pocketed his comm unit.

"Where?" Alicia asked as she stood up from the table as well.

"East side of the colony. Shannon with me" Taylor said as he motioned to Jim.

"I'm coming with you" Alicia told him but Taylor shook his head and grabbed her by the arm pulling her gently to the side of the room away from the others as he didn't want to dress his own wife down in front of them.

"No, you're staying here until the cherry picker arrives" he told her in a low voice as he still gripped her upper arm, their eyes locked and he saw the determination in her eyes.

"You need every able body" Alicia told him.

"I need to know you and the twins are safe" Taylor told her as he used his thumb to caress her arm, his eyes softening as she and the twins were everything to him and needed to protect them.

"Is this how it's always going to be? I have to stay home with the twins while you go out and risk your life?" Alicia asked him slightly exasperated as she had a feeling she would always be relegated to taking care of the family. Not that she minded but she wanted him to remember that she was a soldier long before she was a mother and could perform both jobs.

"Until you do you requals and want to do the paperwork to reinstate yourself to active duty. Yes" he informed her with a smile. Alicia opened her mouth to protest the statement but closed it knowing she couldn't win that arguement. She gave a tightlipped smile and placed a hand on his chest moving in close.

"Ok, be careful out there" Alicia told him in a soft tone.

"You make it sound like I'm facing an army" Taylor said as he picked up her hand and kissed her palm.

"No, you're going to face your son it's going to be a lot harder than an army." Alicia said. Taylor's features became grim as she was right, he took a deep breath and then gave her a quick kiss.

"I'm taking the ladder with me to make sure you stay put" he told her. Alicia narrowed her eyes at him and he smiled. "I love you" he told her in a low voice.

* * *

"Kate" Malcolm said softly to his wife as he stirred her awake. Caleb was fussing and ready for a feed. He had to remind himself how tiny his son's stomach was which only seem to make him melt with pride. In fact everything the baby boy did amazed him he wondered idly why no other babies had made him feel this way but soon because distracted with his son and Kate.

"Mmm" Kate murmured sleepily, she didn't open her eyes but he knew she could hear them.

"Time to wake up and open the milk bar" Jim said from behind Malcolm. Malcolm turned his head and looked at the smiling Jim with a look that said 'You mind?'. Jim's smile widened as he held up his hands in surrender and stepped back and turned around giving them some privacy.

"Kate, time to wake up. Caleb's hungry" Malcolm told her, it seemed to wake her up as did the baby cries from Caleb as he squirmed in Malcolm's arms wanting his mother and food.

"Ok" Kate said as she rubbed her eyes and looked around still bleary eyed, Malcolm handed her Caleb and moved to prop the pillows behind her back so she was slightly elevated.

"When did Taylor and Shannon get here?" Kate asked as she looked past Malcolm's shoulder to see Alicia and Taylor talking and Jim with his wife by the door of the Command Centre. She a little seedy from the lack of sleep and her body was tender but she was going to keep it to herself at least until after Caleb was fed. He was her priority number one.

"Just 15 minutes ago" Malcolm said. He noted her shaking movements as she held Caleb and helped her arrange her clothing. He watched as she fed Caleb and noted the healthy blush on Kate's cheeks before continuing to watch with fascination.

"It's not a spectator sport" She told him.

"No? but I made up fan posters to wave and cheer with" Malcolm deadpanned. Kate chuckled and shook her head him. "How are you feeling? Are you in any pain or discomfort?" Malcolm asked her.

"Some but I gave birth, I didn't expect to be running marathons or anything but I would like some warm food in my future and a comfy pillow with a doona" Kate said with a smile of hope as she really didn't like sleeping on an empty stomach.

"I'll see what I can do" he told her.

* * *

"Don't even think about it" Elisabeth hissed at Jim as they stood to the far side of the room. Trying to give the other two couples in the room some privacy but Jim wasn't exactly on the same page as Elisabeth as he had his comm. unit in hand and already on camera mode. She tried to grab it from him but he held it just out of her reach.

"It's taking a photo for the baby book they will make" Jim said in good humour as smiled at his wife. He like how no matter how old they got their still had their moments where they were juvenile.

"Yeah yeah, so how are our children?" Elisabeth asked folding her arms across her chest deciding she would be an adult than get sucked into Jim's juvenile antics.

"Josh is going to have a good hangover, Maddy and Zoe are fine and we have Olivia and Sean sleeping over." Jim said as he pocketed his comm. He couldn't get a good picture from their position anyway. He wondered if Taylor and Alicia were going to have a marital spat as the two were talking in hushed tones to the side of the room.

"Oh so you left Maddy all by herself with three kids?" Elisabeth asked.

"I made sure they were all settled and asleep before I came here. So you coming home?" Jim asked.

"Yes but not before I have Kate and little Caleb. All scanned and cleared. Isn't he incredibly adorable?" Elisabeth said with a soft smile, looking in the direction of Malcolm and Kate for a moment.

"No, you can't bring him home" Jim told her in a tone as if she was asking for a puppy. Elisabeth pursed her lips as she had a few choice words she'd like to say in response but Taylor got in first.

"Shannon, come on" Taylor said as he moved to the ladder at the door and made his way down. Jim and Elisabeth exchanged a brief kiss and followed.

* * *

"Guzman, report" Taylor said as he and Jim made it to the ground to find the Sergeant waiting with Carter standing next to him.

"Lucas had help escaping the colony and he slipped rather easily through our defences" Guzman said he threw a side look at Carter as if to say it was Carter's fault. The man saw the look and made a face.

"Hey, it wasn't me. Some soldier blurted the information out on the party line which made Lucas turn rabbit" Carter said looking at Guzman and Taylor like it was their fault.

"Well he couldn't have run far as he's on foot" Taylor said. He had a sense they weren't telling him something and Guzman turned to Carter.

"Why don't you tell him the good news Carter" Guzman said to him in a dry tone.

"He has access to one of our stash vehicles" Carter supplied he couldn't believe how much information he was just handing over to Commander Taylor he remember little while ago he would have taken every opportunity to make this man's life a living hell.

"Stash vehicles?" Taylor asked not believing him.

"Vehicles we stashed with supplies to make a quick getaway. Like a big go bag. It was a safety net thing. Not plans to run away" Carter explained as he didn't want it to sound like the sixers had been planning a coup. He liked his freedom, and the life he was leading.

"So he's using one of these vehicles?" Jim asked.

"Yes sir, he was spotted heading in the direction of the old terminus area. I have two rovers in pursuit but Lucas is making it hard for them. For a man with only one hand he sure can drive" Guzman commented. Taylor let the comment slide as he knew Guzman wasn't being scathing he was just making an observation.

"Ok, Shannon, you have the Colony. Guzman, I'm taking my bike. I might be able to outrun him to the old site" Taylor said, he knew he would as his bike would quickly and easily traverse the jungle than a rover.

"Sir you want me to follow with support?" Guzman asked

"No, and call off the rovers in pursuit. I'm finishing this by myself" Taylor said as he left them heading to the garage.

"Oh this is not good" Jim said as he watched Taylor stalk off to get his bike.

"Families, right. I'm outta here. Gotta help the nerd brigade get main power to the rest of the colony" Carter said walking away without even waiting for a goodbye or dismissal. Guzman moved to stand beside Jim.

"Technically you're in charge now Sir" Guzman told Jim. Jim cringed as he knew Guzman was implying that he should send the Sergeant and a small group of soldiers after Taylor. Jim made a face as he hated being between a rock and a hard place and that was exactly where he was now. Deciding to err on the side of caution he gave a sigh and nodded.

"Fine, go just don't interfere unless it's absolutely necessary" Jim told Guzman.

"Yes, Sir" Guzman said a smile playing on his lips as he ran off to organise a group.

* * *

"Taylor and Guzman have taken a small tem of soldiers to go after Lucas" Jim said to Alicia as he helped transfer the twins into the nursery of her home. It was nice to be home even with Lucas out on the run and Taylor chasing him.

"So he isn't in the colony" Alicia said, they had all been scanned and cleared by a bio-bed in the makeshift infirmary in the rec room before they went their separate ways. Alicia had wanted to stay with Kate and Malcolm but with the twins it would have been a very full house. She also wanted to give Malcolm and Kate some privacy. The first night with their child bonding was one she felt should be done in privacy.

"Yeah, apparently he's going for the rift." Jim told her.

"Shannon why do I get the feeling you're not telling me something?"Alicia asked as they moved into the kitchen. She started the makings for coffee as she knew she wouldn't sleep until Taylor was home.

"Because you haven't slept all night and you're paranoid when you don't get at least 4 hours of sleep" Jim told her with a teasing smile.

"Now I know you're hiding something" Alicia told him as she placed a clean mug on the bench she looked to Jim holding up the cup a silent offering of coffee. Jim shook his head.

"No, I'm good. I should get back out there. I have a partially destroyed colony to watch. So I'll keep you in the loop" Jim told her as he pulled out his comm. unit making a quick exit.

* * *

"I come bearing food" Malcolm said softly as he came into the bedroom with a tray table. Kate smiled at Malcolm as she gently placed Caleb in his cot by her side of the bed.

"Oh I love you so much right now" She said as she shifted herself up in bed so she could comfortably eat.

"You're too easy to please which I'm grateful for" Malcolm said as he placed the breakfast table tray over her lap. Kate's mouth watered at the delicious aroma of vegetable miso soup and herbal tea that was placed in front of her.

"Yum" Kate said.

"Good, eat up. you need your strength. If you want some more let me know" he said as he sat down on the edge of the bed and watched her slowly eat the soup.

"Malcolm, what's going on in the Colony?" Kate asked.

"It's not important"

"If it's not important then why did you and Alicia double check every room, window and lock?" Kate asked. Malcolm took a fortifying breath as he felt it was better to tell Kate the truth than to have be concerned thinking the worst.

"Lucas escaped from his cell, Taylor has gone after him." Malcolm told her watching her reaction. She paled slightly and stopped eating.

"He's out" Kate said carefully.

"But he's not in the Colony. We believe he's going to the rift" Malcolm told her as he overheard Jim saying something about it to Guzman on his comm. when they were driving back to the house. Kate gave a nod taking the information in and then she resumed eating again. In fact she looked rather relieved at the news and gave an amused smile.

"Well he's going t be in for a rude awakening when he crosses over" Kate said to him. Malcolm looked at her oddly.

"So you're fine?" Malcolm asked, he had expected her to melt down then pull a weapon from some place in the house and want to stand guard or something.

"I helped destroy the main cortex of the future the thing that controls everything. Threw the place into utter chaos for a few decades from what Evan said. So yeah I'm fine and if he survives I'll kill him myself" Kate said with a shrug.

"Ok" Malcolm said unsure. Kate looked at him and smiled.

"Relax, I'm not leaving this house unless Caleb is. I also think he and I have an accord that we are going to stay here for at least a week with minimal visitors so we can rest, recuperate and bond and whatever new families do" Kate said in a lazy fashion that made Malcolm laugh.

"I'm glad to hear it" Malcolm said to her as he ram a hand up her thigh in a comforting gesture more for his sake than hers.

"So you going to be my man slave or do you have to go to work on repairing the Colony?" Kate asked. Malcolm gave it some thought before answering.

"I will have to do some work but I'll do it when Alicia or Elisabeth visit to give you women some space." He said rather reluctantly. He couldn't quite admit that he would rather stay with Kate and Caleb in and around the house until they ran out of food. He also had a department to repair.

"Afraid we'll share gory birth and body details?" she asked him.

"Yes, I think I would prefer to remain ignorant of every other woman's woes as I only care about yours" he told her.

"Good answer" Kate told him.

* * *

Taylor pulled his bike to a stop as he reached an empty Rover in his path. He wasn't even halfway to the old Terminus platform area, he was only an hour away from the colony and another three to the area. He unholstered his pistol and turned off the bike. He kicked the stand out and rose from the bike looking around him. He looked around the area as dawn light streaked through the area as the sun was only starting to rise.

"I'm coming out and I'm unarmed. I have to tell you an urgent message from Mira" a voice called out. Taylor tried to source the location but was saved the trouble when a man stepped out of the dark.

"What's the message?" Taylor growled as he knew immediately he had been tricked. The man standing in front of him was a former sixer Jeremy Staite. He had sandy brown hair and a vaguely similiar physical build. Anger rose in him and he aimed his pistol at the man.

"First off, you have to know none us were willing to be involved with what is happening but we didn't have a choice. Lucas has Mira's daughter sitting on an armed and active sonic pressure mine in her house." Jeremy told him, his hands were up in surrender, showing he was not armed as he said.

"You were a diversion to get me out of the colony" Taylor said pointing out what was blindingly obvious angry that he had just fallen for it hook line and sinker.

"Yes, because Lucas wants a family reunion. Right now as we speak your daughters and wife are being taken to Lucas in exchange for the deactivation codes. I'm supposed to keep you out of the colony for another 3 hours making you chase me through the Jungle but I'm not. I'm helping you, we're helping you" Jeremy said he then informed Taylor of Lucas's plans and where Alicia and the Twins would be kept. He told him how the sixers were supposed to guard the house and stop the soldiers from entering. But assured him the Sixers are not holding up the entirety of their agreement as they would give no hinderance to Taylor and his soldiers.

"How do I know this isn't a trick?" Taylor asked.

"You don't but if you go now and tell everyone on the party line Lucas is in the colony before he gets to have his showdown with you then there will be collateral damage on both sides. Also Mira is bugged as is the party line you command your soldiers with. Please for both our sakes go back to the Colony and resolve your relationship with your son before you lose your family." Jeremy told narrowed his eyes at the man scrutinising him to whether he should believe the man.

After a moment of deliberation, Taylor holstered his weapon and returned to his bike. He kick started it and turned around heading back to the colony.

* * *

Alicia couldn't sleep for the life of her. She tried knowing she would need to sleep for the sake of dealing with the twins who were going to be little heelions for the having their routine disturbed but her mind was alert. So she exercised in the loungeroom, before she moved onto cleaning the loungeroom she then kept on cleaning. If anything she was going to have a clean house even if her mood and the twins' mood would be grouchy.

After she had cleaned the whole house, she took a hot shower and washed her hair. She towel dried her hair and changed into fresh pair of black BDUs and a loose v neck t shirt with a pocket detail on the top before checking on the twins. The front door opened and Alicia turned as she hoped it was Taylor but Carter came into the room.

She looked at him oddly but before she could ask him what the hell he was doing, he lifted a blow gun pipe at her and shot her with two darts in the arm and shoulder. Anger rose in her as she pulled the dart from her arm and she took a step forward to attack him but found her world tilt. She stumbled and fell to the floor as her body went to sleep.

"You son of a-" Alicia didn't get the rest of the curse out before she lost consciousness.

When she came to, she had a splitting headache and found herself sitting in a chair with her wrists cuffed behind her and her feet secured to the legs with what felt like plasti-cuffs. She looked around and saw she was in a emptying living room. It was newly constructed house as the paint smell hadn't left the room, there was no furniture bar a playpen and her stomach churned as she saw her girls inside sleeping. She heard voices in another room talking.

"You've done well Mira but I'm not finished yet" Lucas drawled, Alicia's blood churned coldly at knowing her children were in the same house as Lucas completely unprotected. She pulled on her wrist restraints, she didn't care if she had to skin her hands to free herself she would as she was going to do everything in her power to protect her children.


	66. Chapter 66

"I gave you what you want now you give me what I want" Mira demanded. Lucas make a clicking noise with his tongue as if Mira were a naughty child. Mira was ready the strangle man and take her chances with a bomb technician than put up with Lucas's superiority complex. His moods over the past few months were giving her whiplash and right now he was back to feeling powerful and in control. Control that was entirely depndant on them all playing to his tune.

"Can't have you freeing your daughter then letting Shannon know what's going on until my father comes back" Lucas told her.

"That is hours away. You said-"

"I had to adapt the plans. Carter, is she properly restrained?" Lucas asked cutting Mira off and turning his attention to Carter.

"Do you want me to tighten the cuffs?" Carter asked incredulously as he played his part as calmly as he could. He just hoped Jeremy reached Taylor and passed on the message. He had gone behind Mira's back but he wasn't going to help Lucas, there had to be middle ground so Carter could look Kate in the eyes and not feel like he deserved more than just her boot up his ass. She was one of the few people in the colony she considered a friend as she didn't get on his nerves he'd hate to lose that because he allowed Lucas to murder Alicia and the twins.

"Please" Lucas drawled politely. Carter gave a nod and left the room.

* * *

Alicia watched as Carter came out the room. She gave him a dark look. "You-"

"Save your foul language, don't want to blister your kids ears right? " he told her as he moved behind her and the chair. "Looks like you're trying to escape already" he murmured as he pulled on the cuffs and she winced as the cuff on her wrists tightened to the point it felt like they were cutting off the circulation to her hands.

"They've heard worse. And if I don't get out of this, Taylor will kill you" Alicia told him. She moved her head to the side as Carter moved in close his breath tickled her ear.

"Well, here's hoping you'll get out this as I like being alive" Carter said in a low voice in her ear. He moved around to the front and knelt down in front of her. Alicia frowned as she felt the plasticuffs being removed from ankles. He looked over to Mira and Lucas seeing they had left the empty spare bedroom. He got to his feet and moved to her behind her again. "I want this back. Cleaned and oiled" he told her as he placed his small switchblade into the palm of her right hand before he stepped away.

"Is she secure?" Lucas asked as he came out the room with a disatisfied looking Mira.

"Yeah she's all yours" Carter said with a smile.

"Good, you both can leave us. It's time for my Stepmother and I to have a little heart to heart" Lucas told them.

* * *

Kate stirred awake and saw it was early morning as the sunlight was starting to stream through the partially closed blinds. She turned her head to see Malcolm was awake lying in bed with Caleb curled up on his bare chest with the blankets drawn up to keep himself and Caleb warm. It was incredibly endearing and made her heart melt.

"You're really getting into the Kangaroo Care business aren't you?" Kate teased in a low voice getting Malcolm's attention, he smile softly at her. He had taken to his role as father and carer like a fish to water.

He had lifted Caleb out of cot by his side of the bed and handed the squalling baby and watched mesmerised by watching Kate nurse his son before he took over and burped Caleb and changed his nappy. Malcolm would indulge in holding his son and rocking him gently in his arms for a length of time before putting Caleb into his cot.

The process repeated itself every couple of hours or so. Malcolm unlike Kate, he was too wired to sleep and so he spent majority of his time watching the rise and fall of his son's chest, each breath, frequently reaching out to touch his perfect little head. But after what had to be the fourth time Kate nursed his son he couldn't resist in just lying bed and holding son while watching Kate, he loved the feel of the small baby on his chest.

"I can't help myself, how are you? Do you need me to get you anything?" he asked as he reached a hand out and cupped her face. He was ready to get up if she needed him to but she just smiled serenely and turned her face to kiss his palm before looking back at him.

"Relax, I'm fine" She told him. She smiled "You know Caleb definitely has your hair style down pat" she mused in a low tone as she softly touched her baby's hair. Malcolm chuckled.

"Tell me about it. I'm a little jealous it comes naturally to him while I have to muck around in the mirror" he said. Kate chuckled enjoying the peacefulness that sunk into her bones, never in her life did she feel so settled in herself. Tears filled her eyes as her emotions overwhelmed her.

"Hey, why the tears?" Malcolm asked her.

"I don't know, I'm just so incredibly happy" she said, Caleb started snuffling and moving Malcolm's chest.

"Ah, looks like my time is up and it's your turn" he said as he gently lifted Caleb off his chest and handed him to Kate, who took her son with a smile.

* * *

Taylor stayed off the comms as he reached the colony. The main gates opened and Jim meet him in the Main square surprised to see him.

"Taylor, you're back" Jim said in greeting as Taylor slowed to a stop but kept the engine running. He had spent the last hour feeling a knot in his stomach as he just knew his family was in danger.

"Lucas is in the colony with Alicia and the Twins, in a house in the new development on the east side. I need a medical team on standby now and soldiers to set up a perimeter if he rabbits take him down with deadly force if necessary. All of this is to stay off the comm. channels" Taylor said not getting off his bike.

"Reilly!" Taylor shouted as he saw the woman on guard by the gates, he waved her over and she ran to join them.

"Commander" she said saluting him and falling into a relaxed military stance.

"I want you to go to Mira's house. There's a active pressure mine that needs to be deactivated. Take Reynolds as back up tell Mira I know everything. Oh and don't tell anyone where you are going or your orders. Understood?"

"Yes Sir"

"Dismissed" Taylor said he turned to Jim again. "Where's Guzman?" he asked.

"I sent him after you" Jim said. Taylor pursed his lips and shook his head as he hated when he handed the keys of the colony to someone else only to have them countermand his orders. He kicked up the stand and revved the engine and was about to go but Jim stood in his way.

"Woah where are you going? and you know Alicia is at your home. I checked in with soldiers a moment ago" he told him.

"The soldiers but you didn't talk to Alicia. Lucas has her and my girls I'm going to get them back" Taylor told him, he rolled the bike back and swerved around Jim and took off on the bike as he wasn't going to waste any more time than necessary.

* * *

"Aren't you going to beg or plead for your children's lives or ask me 'why' and 'what' my plans are?" Lucas asked as they had spent majority of the last half an hour in complete silence. Well that wasn't true, Lucas had spent the time talking but mostly out loud to himself about his 'plans' so Alicia didn't have to ask. The twins were also awake and incredibly fussy, from the odour that was wafting from them she knew exactly why they were only going to become intolerable as neither of them like sitting in a soiled diaper. But experience told her they would huff and snuffle for a while before they started screaming their displeasure. She had spent the time using Carter's knife to slowly saw through one side of the plasticuffs to free herself.

Lucas already showed disgust at the twins and their lack of control with their bodily functions. She tried to explain that they were babies and didn't really have any control at all in regards to their life. They were just babies but he didn't get it.

"No point, you spend your life recreating that day in Somalia over and over. I know you won't do anything until Taylor is here" Alicia said dully as she watched her children fussing through the see through mesh of the playpen. Her heart twisted as she wished she could just get up and change them and feed them so they would be quiet instead of garning Lucas's anger. She knew he would blow up eventually and would hurt them, it was the reason she now was starting to purposefully bait him. So he would take his anger out on her.

"How wrong you are" Lucas drawled as he paced the floor infront of her, it was hard not to be petulant and stick out her foot and trip him but if she did then he would probably shoot her and she needed her hands free to subdue him.

"Am I? Tell me how you are not playing the role of those Somalian rebels when you overpowered the colony and took us. Tell me how you didn't know Taylor was watching us when you were about to pull that trigger? You wanted him to come forward and save me. Make the ultimate choice between me and the colony. It must really get your goat that Kate stopped you from finding out-" Alicia was cut off as Lucas backhanded her across the face splitting her lip. She gave a sardonic chuckle as she licked the blood from her lip.

"I don't what you find hilarious as I have you and your precious girls." He said stalking to the playpen and pointing the sonic pistol at the twins "Babies, they are so fragile. I doubt they would survive the lowest setting on a sonic pistol" he mused.

"But you won't hurt them, they are your half sisters and you need them alive" She reminded him. He trully didn't see the correlation between his plan of having Taylor pick between her and the girls was just an exact recreation of Taylor choosing between Ayani and Lucas. Lucas of course was now playing the role of the Somalian rebels. He just didn't see it but he spent his whole life setting up the same ploy always making his father choose between his son and the military. Lucas or the Colony, it was when he realised that his father had chosen the colony over him he found that he just had to find two loves of Taylor's and put them in jeopardy. Thus making Taylor forever repeat history and watch someone or something he loved dearly be destroyed.

"They are stains upon my mother's memory. Filth but you're right I won't hurt them. Yet. But you're wrong I'm nothing like those rebels if I were we would not be talking" He told her there was a feral glint in his eyes that made Alicia's skin crawl. "Did my father tell you know what they did to my mother?" Lucas asked as he squatted down in front of her, he closed his eyes and pressed the barrel of the gun to his head as if he were contemplating suicide. Alicia remained silent as she watched him. She of course knew the details but knew better than to admit it.

"They did horrific things to her and while I loathe you I would never violate you or any woman in such a vile manner" Lucas told her, he shook his head as if it could shake off the memories.

"Yet you tie me to a chair and hold me and my girls hostage waiting for Taylor to return. What do you expect him to do?" Alicia asked, she wanted to keep him talking as she used the knife to cut through the plasti-cuffs.

"Well, originally my plan tonight was to kill you all and then him but it's just too quick. He's deserves to suffer and how is he supposed to suffer when he keeps finding ways to rise above it all and still be on top? I took his precious colony away from him and he got it back. I tried to kill you and that failed but this time I think I've managed it. I have destroyed a good portion of his colony, destroyed the terminus that would have saved you from my employers and now I have his 'new' family. He'll come back after a goose chase and Mira will bring him here where he has to choose between you or his new offspring." Lucas said pacing again.

"Not very original as you know he will not pick me" Alicia told him and she knew it was true.

"Already resigned to suffer your fate" Lucas drawled in an amused tone as he moved to her.

"It's a mother's sacrifice, something your mother would know about" Alicia told himin an honest tone.

"Always the martyr" he said in disgust ignoring her comment about his mother. He stroked her cheek with the barrel of the gun in a loving gesture. The plasti-cuffs Alicia had been sawing through finally gave and her wrists were free. She dropped the knife and parried the gun away from her face and twisted it out of his grip throwing it away as she threw a couple of jab punches to his face. She then stood up and right hooked him followed by a kick to his chest, she turned and round house kicked him that sent him skating across the floor hitting the wall. He tried to get up but slumped to the floor. She assumed he was unconscious and went for her daughters.

She quickly moved the play pen and dragged it quickly into the main bedroom, she planned to close the door and go back into the other room and secure Lucas before he came to. She leaned over the plan pen and touched her daughter's faces and hushed them with soothing tones for a moment. It more for her than them as they started crying loudly, she knew she should go back and deal with Lucas but she reached down into the playpen with the purpose of picking Ella up but stopped when she felt something cold lodge into right side of her back. She pulled herself up and shock settled into her body quickly paralysing her, her breath was came stilted and she felt Lucas's breath at her neck.

"Oh how you didn't see that coming. I don't know" Lucas drawled in her ear as he wrapped his handless arm around her neck and pulled her back. Alicia gasped as cold pain radiated through her nerve endings and her blood pumped faster as adrenalin kicked in.

"Mothers make weak soldiers" he said to her as he pulled her pulled her out the room and shoved her to the floor leaving the knife in her body. Alicia tried to stay focussed but the pain was great and she could feel the blood dampening the back of her shirt. She felt around and touched the butt end of the knife still in her back and groaned in pain. She knew it was bad but did her best chance at survival was to keep the knife blade in and to get the gun athat she spotted on the floor just a metre away. She rolled onot her stomach and started dragging herself across the floor.

"Why did you have to go and free yourself?" he asked her in a dark and angry tone as she pulled herself away from him. He marvelled at how easy it was to incapacitate her and he knew she was going for the gun. He could stop her but he wanted to see how it would play out. "There's nowhere to run or in this case drag yourself" Lucas drawled as he watched her.

Alicia didn't answer him as she pulled herself closer to the kitchen counter she could just see the gun. If she could just reach it before he paid closer attention to where she was going then she would get it and kill him before he killed her daughters just to punish his father. She wasn't going to have her girls be used by Lucas in his sick and twisted games.

"You know you remind me of Kate right now, even she couldn't just lie down and die. She would drag herself around, the flight instinct getting the better of her just like it's getting you. Tell me why do you bother?" Lucas asked her.

"For this" Alicia said she grasped the butt of the gun and pulled it into her hand and turned it aiming it at Lucas. He smiled not surprised in the least that she had a gun pointed at him.

"Oh, excellent move. I was wondering how long it would take and now we see to you have the guts to pull that trigger" Lucas said taunting her.

"Anything to save my children" She told him Lucas's eyes went wide as he saw the determination in her eyes as she ramped the setting up on the gun. He tried to grab the gun just as she pulled the trigger. The sonic blast hit him in the face and resounding crunch as his head snapped back. His body was pushed back and he slumped to the floor dead.

She dropped the gun to the floor, tears filling her eyes as she heard the twins crying loudly from the bedroom. She moved slowly due to the pain and made her way to the playpen. She barely made it to the edge of the playpen when the pain overwhelmed her completely and her world blacked out.

* * *

Taylor pulled the bike to a stop out the front of the house spraying gravel across the front of the house. He dropped the bike not caring about how much noise he made as Lucas was expecting him. "Lucas!" he shouted as he ran up the front porch and knocked on the door. He waited for an answer but was given nothing. He could hear the twins crying and his heart twisted as he couldn't wait for a response and turned the door handle the door swung open the twins crying became louder.

"Lucas" he called, he stepped into the room and saw a chair on it's side and then he saw Lucas lying on the floor. His eyes open and glassy, his head was lying in an unnatural angle. He knew his son was dead a cold emptiness seep into his body as he followed a blood trail to the main bedroom and saw Alicia lying on the floor. She was face down with a blade in her back, she had one hand outstretched towards the twins who were screaming.

"No, no, no" Taylor said as raced to her side and knelt down beside her. Her body was incredibly still, he brushed black strands of hair from her face and neck. He touched her jugular begging to a higher power that she wasn't dead. Tears burned the back of his eyes as he felt a pulse. He pulled out his comm. unit and called for a medical team to pick up their pace to his location before he reluctantly left his wife to check on the twins.

"Hey, hey" he said to them in a soft voice, "It's ok, you're safe" he told them as he touched their faces and gently grabbed the twins hand with his getting their attention. The twins' screaming died down into gasps as they could see his face but the tears didn't stop flowing. His heart twisted at how hot they felt to the touch and felt incredibly torn between the twins and Alicia as he wanted to hold them all close to him.

He didn't have time to make a choice when Shannon came into the room with his wife and a medical team behind them with supplies and a stretcher. It was all a blur as Elisabeth spoke at a rapid rate with her staff and in seconds Alicia was loaded up on the stretcher and taken out. Elisabeth moved to the other side of the playpen opposite Taylor and touched his arm getting his attention as he looked down at the pool of blood on the floor. Alicia's blood.

"Commander" Elisabeth said gently, he looked to her. "I need your help with the twins" she said. Taylor nodded and did as Elisabeth directed, she picked up Ava and he picked up Ella before he followed her out of the house leaving Shannon with the mess.

* * *

"Why hasn't Lucas called with the codes?" Mira asked impatiently as she held Sienna in her arms. Her daughter had passed out from too many hours sitting awake on the mine. Mira had just barely caught the little girl before her weight shifted. Now Sienna laid heavily in her arms out cold.

"I don't know, I told you we should have restrained him and tortured it out of him. It would have been far more satisfying" Carter said, as he leaned against the far wall looking at them.

"How much time do we have?" Mira asked.

"We got time" Carter told her. A knock sounded at the door and the two exchanged looks as they weren't expecting visitors. Another knock sounded and Mira inclined her head giving him permission to open it.

Carter pushed off the wall and moved to the front door and opened it just enough to see who was there.

"Hello" he said casually to Reilly and Reynolds. He put on his best smile for Reilly as they two had had a good drunken tumble in the sack a few days ago. Something he'd like to repeat as Reilly was into the 'no strings' kind of relationship and she was wild. "What can I do for you two?" he asked.

"Commander Taylor sent us. He says he knows everything and you have a situation that is time sensitive and in case you haven't heard Lucas is dead so waiting for the deactivation codes is not an option" Reilly said, she showed no outward signs of familiarity with him which surprised and pleased him as he didn't need Reynolds blabbing and ruining a good thing. Reynolds looked at him coldly.

"Right and you are here telling me this good news why?" Carter asked.

"It's my area of expertise. I'm here to disarm the mine and return it to the armoury. That's all" Reilly told him.

"And what's he doing here?" Carter asked tilting his head in Reynolds direction.

"He's my assistant. Now let us in" Reilly told him firmly. Carter looked over his shoulder at Mira.

"Let them in" she told them. Carter gave a shrug and opened the door wide and made a sweeping gesture welcolming them into the house. Reilly walked directly to Mira and Sienna with her tool bag and placed it on the floor by the chair.

* * *

"Hello, mini Malcolmus" Evan cooed at Caleb as lifted the boy from his cot that had been moved next to the lounge. He had been dismissed by the sixers over an hour ago so he went home and freshened up before making a pit stop to see Kate and Malcolm. He wanted to offer his congratulations without his brood running around. He was actually surprised at how relaxed the two looked as he spent his first 48 hours freaking out when Sean was a newborn. Lena his late wife had been emotional rollercoaster of smiles and tears. Amusing as she was usually very serene and level headed.

"Don't tease my baby" Kate told him as she was lying comfortably on the lounge with her legs over Malcolm's lap. She wondered where Taylor and Alicia were as she figured at least Alicia would be by late morning to see them. It worried her that there wasn't even a comm. message.

"It was a compliment. Look at his mop, it's very impressive" Evan said as he adjusted his hold on Caleb who's hair was fluffy and sticking out at odd angles. The baby boy frowned at being held up in the air than comforted next to the warmth of another human body. Evan of course well versed in baby expressions adjusted his hold on the baby so he was in his arms being safely held.

"How are your kids?" Kate asked.

"Still at the Shannon's. I just wanted to drop by and see what all the fuss was with you guys and thank you Kate for delivering this little bruiser when you did and making him just the perfect weight for me to win the betting pool." Evan said with a smile as he had enough terras to buy himself many luxuries but it would all be kept in savings and splurged when birthdays and christmases came around.

"If you weren't holding my son I'd throw my cup of tea at you" Kate told him. Evan laughed as he adjusted his hold so Caleb's face was next to his with them both looking at her. He made sure to support the baby's head. Kate smiled but rolled her eyes at him and his antics. Caleb definitely only had eyes for his mother as he stared at her for a few moments before closing his eyes and dozing off. Evan noticing this laid him back into his arms in a laying down position.

"I'll have to remember that if I have something bad to tell you" Evan said to her. A knock sounded at the door drawing their attention.

"I'll get it" Malcolm said, he carefully lifted Kate's legs up and got off the lounge to open the door.

"So how much did you win?" Kate asked Evan, she never ended up hearing what the exact amount was and was kind of curious how many family roast dinners she was going to make Evan pay for.

"Well-" Evan stopped as Jim cut him off.

"Evan" he said, Kate sat up slowly as she immediately could tell by Jim's demeanour that something was wrong. Her heart thudded in her chest and tears involuntarily welled in her eyes. Her emotions had been on a rollercoaster ride but Elisabeth had told her last night she would feel like a bit of basket case as her hormones settled down. All normal. Something Kate liked hearing even though she didn't enjoy the waterworks displayed.

"What's going on?" Kate asked hating the fact she sounded very emotional instead of strong and sure.

"It's ok Kate" Jim said he shot Malcolm an apologetic look. Malcolm remained placid as he had no idea what was going on and knew Kate would be fine and if she wasn't he'd support her through it. He had read a woman's hormones were all over the place for the first few days after giving birth.

"No it's not you're wearing your 'bad news' face" Kate told him.

"Jim, just tell us what is going on" Malcolm said as he preferred they be in the loop and hoping that the news would placate Kate and help her smooth out her emotions.

"Ok, long story cut short. Lucas and Alicia had a confrontation. Lucas is dead and Alicia is in surgery, I have no idea what her status is but I need Evan to help me with the twins as Taylor is- well" Jim tried to find the right words that could describe how Taylor was acting "He's not coping well and the twins needs some attention and stability which takes more than two hands" Jim explained lamely.

"I should go" Kate said as she slowly got off the couch but Malcolm shook his head and stood infront of her. He placed his hands on her upper arms and looked her in the eyes.

"Oh no, you're staying here" Malcolm told her.

"But-"

"No, you gave birth last night in the command centre and were up early. You need to rest" Malcolm told her firmly. Jim and Evan exchanged looks as they had never seen Malcolm be actively commanding and hold such a presence before. They also inwardly braced themselves for Kate to turn psychotically angry at being told what to do.

"You're right, I'm sorry" Kate said as she placed a hand on his chest and turned to sit back down on the lounge. Jim let out a slow breath of relief and pleasantly surprised.

"Don't worry, Kate. When I know something I'll message you" Evan said carefully as he rose from his chair holding Caleb. He moved round the coffee table "Ok, little man time for you to go back to your Mumma bear" Evan said as he handed a peacefully sleeping Caleb to Kate.

"Ok thank you." Kate said to him. Evan nodded and gave Malcolm a brief smile. "Cute kid, I'll get the door on the way out" Evan told him.

"Thanks" Malcolm said as he sat down next to Kate. Jim and Evan left the house and once the door was closed Malcolm waited for Kate to go ballistic but instead she looked rather sombre. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her close as she held Caleb. He pressed a kiss to her temple.

"It'll be ok" he told her. Kate nodded and leaned against him heavily. She gave a sigh as she tried hard not to cry. "I also apologise for being forceful, but I really want you to rest"

"I understand" Kate said with a slight smile playing on her lips feeling like a nutter as she was worried, happy, a little turned on and upset all in one go. "Anyway it was kind of a turn on" Kate admitted as she needed her mind taken off Alicia, Taylor and the twins. She knew she would only stress herself out and needed to save her strength for the worst than waste it on what was unknown.

Malcolm laughed as he rubbed a soothing hand up her back. "I'll keep that in mind for when we reach the six week mark. Perhaps we should go and lie down in bed now we aren't entertaining people" he told her.

"Sounds great" Kate said as she rose from the lounge and slowly made her way to the bedroom with Malcolm at her side.

* * *

_TBC- Also a thanks and shout out to buckeyeirishmom for your review and suggestions. It really sparked the brain juices, I hope you and the other readers liked what I've done in this update :-D. Cya all soon!_


	67. Chapter 67

Taylor felt like someone had cut him open with a blunt knife and raggedly scooped his insides out to play tug of war with. His concentration was shot as he didn't know which way to turn or what to do. Everything just felt raw and empty. The last time he had felt this way was when Ayani had died, he had had Lucas and his command to contend with as well as the grief of losing his wife in the most heinous manner. At the centre of it, he knew there was only one person to blame and that was himself.

Now he sat by a one person cot where his two little girls refused to settle down. They had been crying off and on even though there was nothing physically wrong with them. Taylor seemed to have lost his knack in calming them down and blamed himself. His son was dead and his current wife was in surgery and for all he knew was going to die. It would deserve him right if she did die.

"Taylor"

Taylor turned his head around to see Evan.

"Evan" Taylor said noting Evan's presence, the young man walked over and knelt down next to cot on the opposite side of the twins. The girls were fussing and making faces as if taunting Taylor in reminding him of what a bad father he was. He had failed his first born who now laid dead in the morgue of the secondary research labs. He wondered how he was going to screw their lives up and if they would turn against him.

"Shannon told me everything" Evan said in a soft tone, he looked down at the twins and played with their hands mirroring their facial expressions. The twins who had been about to belt out a good crying jag now looked up at him perplexed as to what he was doing.

"Lucas is dead" Taylor said despondently.

"I know" Evan said, Taylor couldn't help but notice how when he said Lucas was dead the main response he got was 'I know'. Not 'My condolences' or 'I'm sorry' but 'I know'. He had hoped there would be some empathy about Taylor's loss but if anything all he saw was relief.

"My son is dead" Taylor told him, Evan looked up from the twins.

"But your daughters and wife are alive and have survived" Evan reminded him in a firm manner as if it was supposed to be all Taylor cared about. He stared at Evan for a moment before looking away.

"Yes, they are" Taylor murmured, he knew he should be elated but he couldn't summon the correct emotions as all he felt was guilt, grief and hollowness in his being. A disconnection from everything, he knew he should hold the twins and tell them everything was going to be alright. That he should be shouting orders, doing something but he just couldn't decide where to start. It was not something that happened to him a lot so when it did he found himself at a blank.

"I know Alicia always has trouble deciding who to pick up first when they are fussy. So why don't I take Ella while you get Ava" Evan suggested as he picked Ella up into his arms and mumbled words of comfort to the little girl. Taylor wondered if Evan had made him pick up ava as she looked most like Alicia with her fluffy raven hair. But said nothing as he picked Ava up and held her to his chest and murmured words of comfort to her until she settled in his arms.

* * *

"That, should do it" Reilly said as she pulled the last wire. The mine powered down proving her point and she gave an inward sigh of relief that she hadn't become mince meat on the wall. Mira looked at Reilly.

"It's disarmed?" Mira asked. Reilly nodded.

"Yes, you can take her off" Reilly said as she packed up her tools. Mira pulled her daughter off the mine. She laid onto her back and pulled her daughter into a tight hold closing her eyes and giving a silent thank you to whatever higher power she believed in.

Reilly motioned to Reynolds and he stepped forward picking up the mine as she got to her feet. She walked over to Carter as Reynolds left the house.

"You're in deep" Reilly told Carter in a low voice to the man.

"Aren't I always?" Carter asked mockingly, he gave her a once over as if he wanted to go back to their place and while away a few hours in pleasure but Reilly just wanted to stow the mine then go home and take a shower.

"Taylor's going to rip you and Mira to shreds over this when the dust has settled" Reilly told him. He made a derisive noise while holding her gaze.

"Please, I'm more afraid of Kate than Taylor." He said and Reilly couldn't help but smile as she believed him.

"I can understand that" Reilly with a quirk of the lips.

"Yeah, I'm man enough to say it. Hey, considering my days are numbered you want throw a leg over later? Get one more ride in before it's close down for good?" Carter asked her. Reilly rolled her eyes at him and shook her head as she left the house. "Is that a yes?" Carter asked her.

* * *

Kate smiled as she watched Malcolm sleep beside her in bed. She wondered idly if she should wake him up but decided against it as he needed his rest. She slowly rose from the bed and padded out to the kitchen. She picked up her comm. unit from the bench and checked through her messages. Evan did as promised and she gave a sigh of relief as she read through the progress reports to the last one that said Alicia was still in surgery and the twins were fine. If Alicia was still in surgery it meant she was still alive. He didn't mention Taylor but Kate had a feeling that Taylor was either sitting in a catatonic state or burying himself in work avoiding what was going on.

She wished she could help them in some form but right now she was in no shape to help anyone but her son and herself. She needed at least 72 hours to herself and her family. Her body panged with pain as she moved around the kitchen getting herself a glass of water and picking up an apple and pulling a knife from the knife block to peel and core the apple. She was about half way through when Caleb let out a tiny cry followed by a snuffling noise indicating he was awake. It was a noise she found incredibly adorable though she was sure would get old very quickly.

She placed the apple on the bench with the knife and washed her hands quickly before she moved back into the bedroom to Caleb's cot. Malcolm was completely crashed out as she noted he hadn't moved since she left the bed. She smiled as she lifted Caleb into her arms, "Well hello to you too, I guess you some food aye?" she said in hushed tones to Caleb as she took her little boy out of the room to let Malcolm sleep.

* * *

"Commander" Guzman said coming up to Taylor, who was pacing with Ava in his arms. The girl was asleep and currently drooling a lake of spit on his shoulder. Evan was currently lying on the cot the twins had occupied and was snoring softly with Ella lying on his chest. He was amazed his daughter could sleep through the noise but then it was a rhythmic noise.

"Guzman" Taylor said greeting the man.

"The mine has been disarmed and removed from Mira's dwellings back into the Armoury. We have also run a stock take, all weaponry and artillery are accounted for and the armouries have been secured" Guzman said, Taylor gave a nod of his head.

"How's Mira's girl?" Taylor asked.

"She'll be fine." Guzman said, a moment of silence lapsed between them. "Sir, how's Wash doing?" Guzman asked, he looked over to the curtained area off for surgery.

"Still in surgery, no word on her condition" Taylor said, he wished someone would come and give him an update but it was all hands on deck. He could only hope when someone did surface they were smiling with good news. This time Guzman gave a nod before looking guilty.

"Sir, I'm sorry for going behind your back with Shannon and disobeying your orders." He said, Taylor gave a dismissive shake of his head.

"I would have done the same. Anyway it wouldn't have made a difference whether you were here or not. Alicia would have killed him eventually" Taylor said. Guzman visibly twitched as it sounded like Taylor was accusing Alicia of murdering his son when what he heard it was self defence. He knew it was self defence, Alicia would never do anything to purposely hurt Taylor.

"Sir-" Guzman started but he was cut off as the curtained off room opened and Dr Hastings stepped out, he gave a few whispered orders to Nurse Ogawa before he pulled off his operating gown and gloves tossing them into the bins. Blood had stained through the gown onto his t-shirt but Hastings was either completely oblivious or didn't care.

"Commander Taylor" Dr Hastings said in greeting to him, he gave a nod to Guzman who had stepped back to give them some privacy.

"Dr Hastings" Taylor said.

"Your wife is a fighter. Now, I've repaired the damage to her flank but she's still in critical condition. She lost a lot of blood and from what I understand she was unconscious when you came on the scene" Hastings said, Taylor nodded. He swallowed his nausea at the memories while Dr Hastings continued "So I'm going to keep her on the bio-bed as a priority number one. For now it's a waiting game to see when she wakes up and then we'll be able to perform a diagnostic test to see if worst case scenario she suffered any brain damage and to what extent"

"So she could have memory loss like Malcolm did" Taylor said slowly. Dr Hastings shook his head.

"No, Dr Wallace's case was different he suffered brain trauma and blood loss. The thing is she could wake up and be just fine but we won't know until she wake. This is a good outcome considering what could have happened" Hastings said, Taylor felt a stab of anger as he felt it was a jab at Lucas being killed than it being about Alicia.

"Which is what?" Taylor asked in a dark tone.

"If she hadn't lost her kidney in Somalia and Lucas stabbed her, she would be dead right now" Dr Hastings told him. The man had a manner of making it sound casual and nonchalant. Taylor had to remind himself that the Doctor had to be removed and professional as he was just there to patch up the body parts not have a personal stake in it.

"How long until she wakes up?" Taylor asked.

"I can't put a time on it. Could be hours or could be days" Hastings told him. Taylor nodded and knew he couldn't do anything more in the infirmary and he wanted to take the twins home and have them settled in a familiar surroundings.

"Ok keep me posted on her condition. I also want an autopsy performed on my son" Taylor told him.

"Is there any point?" Dr Hastings asked, he made it sound like it would be a waste of resources.

"Yes, I want to know-" Taylor started but Hastings cut him off.

"I can tell you now. He has multiple facial fractures indicative of a sonic blast to face at close range" Hastings told him. Taylor shot him a dark look.

"I still want an autopsy performed and a formal report written for the record within the next 6 hours. Then I want his remains prepped for transport, is that understood?" Taylor informed him.

"Yes, Commander" Hastings said in a dry tone as he didn't appreciate his time being wasted. He walked away and headed back into the curtained off area. Taylor turned to Guzman and the man stepped forward.

"Guzman, I'm taking my daughters home and the colony is in yours and Shannon's hands. I also want a meeting in the morning with heads of departments so we can organise the repairs of the colony and have everyone on the same page" Taylor told him. Guzman nodded taking note of his orders.

"Yes, Sir. What time do you want the meeting called for?" Guzman asked pulling out his comm.

"0900 hours, my house. You're dismissed" Taylor told him.

"Yes Sir" Guzman said turned on his feet and walked away to go in search of Shannon to pass on the message about the meeting.

Taylor moved to the cot where Evan was sleeping and sat down on the chair beside it. He reached out and touched Evan's shoulder and he woke up slowly.

"Hey, what's going on?" Evan asked as he wrapped an arm around Ella and sat up. He rubbed a hand down his face wiping the fatigue away from his face.

"Alicia is alive but in critical condition due to the blood loss. They won't lower her condition status until she stabilises" Taylor said, Evan nodded but looked a little bit relieved at the good news that Alicia was still alive. He lowered Ella onto the cot and pulled out his comm. unit.

"Ok, I'll pass the message onto Kate" Evan said as he messaged Kate. "So do you want me to help you get these two home. I think they'll be more comfortable there" Evan said as he sent the message and looked to Taylor.

"Yes and then you can go home" Taylor said.

"Taylor-"

"Evan, I can look after my own children take care of your own kids and get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow, there will be a staff meeting at 9 and I expect you to represent the science department as Malcolm has his hands full" Taylor told him.

"Alright, well let's go" Evan said he knew better than to argue with Taylor.

* * *

Kate laid Caleb down in his cot and was about to crawl back into bed to join Malcolm who was still asleep when a knock sounded on the door. She made a face and contemplated the idea of ignoring it as she really wanted to lie down but headed for the door instead. When she opened it she found Evan on her doorstep looking perturbed and exhausted.

"Evan, is everything alright? I thought you were helping Taylor out." Kate said confused as to why he was knocking on her door as she assumed no one would drop by unless there was an emergency as she and Malcolm needed to rest and bonding time as a family.

"Yeah, Alicia's still alive. You got the messages right?" Evan asked, Kate nodded and Evan looked relieved before concern marred his handsome features. "She's going to be out for a while due to blood loss. Taylor kicked me out and doesn't want my help but he's really screwed up but he won't listen to me. I was thinking you-"

"No, I can't. I'm sorry, I love you all but I'm tired and sore give me a few days and I'll step in but not today" Kate said cutting Evan off as she knew he wanted to go talk to Taylor but she didn't have the emotional control or energy to do so. The fact that when she felt like her friends needed her and she couldn't find the energy to do so frustrated her and tears began to well in her eyes.

Evan's eyes went wide as he realised his folly, he had been worried about his sister and nieces and knew Kate could help but stupidly forgot to take into consideration that Kate had just had a baby and he knew from experience she wouldn't have had a decent sleep since giving birth. Here he was asking her to get involved in his problems with Taylor.

"Yeah of course. Oh man, don't cry I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry" Evan said to her, he cringed as he starting patting her arm awkwardly. He would have hugged her but he was afraid she'd go from teary eyed to angry and he didn't want her to physically hurt him. The tears that had been forming in Kate's eyes subsided as she looked at his hand that was stroking her arm with a mix of confusion and disgust.

"Why are you stroking my arm like I'm a pet?" Kate asked him in a careful tone.

"Because I figured you'd get a little claustrophobic in a hug and hey no tears" Evan cheered as he even gave her a slightly cheesy smile as he took his hand back.

"Right, you want some tea or something?" Kate asked him. He could see she was exhausted and shook his head glad that she was no longer upset.

"Nah, I should go see my own kids. Make sure they haven't grown up and started their own families while I was away" Evan said with a smile.

"Funny" Kate told him in a dry tone.

"I know I'm a regular comedian. Look I'm sorry, it was way out of line for me to come over here, it's just that you are pretty tight with my sister and Taylor. I figured you'd be able to help get through to Taylor better than me" Evan said. Kate gave a nod and looked away for a moment before looking back at him.

"It's ok and you know we all need a few days to calm down and regroup. If Taylor needs us he'll call" Kate assured him.

"You're right, well take care" Evan told her.

"I will and you take care of yourself and your kids." Kate told him.

"I will, bye" Evan said feeling rather awkward and kind of an ass about the whole exchange.

"Bye" Kate said, she closed the door and pressed her forehead to the door and gave a sigh. She took a moment to remind herself that right now she was allowed to have her own time with Malcolm and Caleb. She was allowed to step back and take care of herself and not feel guilty about it. She exhaled slowly and flicked the locks on the door before heading back to bed.

She slid under the covers and curled herself up against Malcolm. She placed her head on his chest as he slowly woke up to pull her close.

"Who was at the door?" he asked in a sleepy tone.

"Evan. Alicia's in critical condition and Taylor's a mess. He wants me to go over to talk some sense into the man and help with the twins" Kate said, Malcolm's arms wrapped around her pulling her closer to him. She gave a muffled groan as her muscles complained the movement.

"You're staying here" he told her gruffly.

"You know you're becoming incredibly possessive" Kate teased as Malcolm loosened his hold and slowly massaged her back. Kate relaxed in his arms. "I feel torn up about it. We're supposed to help our friends when they need us-"

"There are exceptions and we will help them when and if the situation becomes dire until then there are other people who can step in and help Taylor." Malcolm assured her. Kate nodded accepting his opinion as she was too tired to argue and her body didn't want to move as Malcolm's body was keeping her toasty while his hands soothed her muscles.

"Ok" she said as she accepted his reasoning.

"Let's get some sleep while we can and when we wake up I'll make us some food" he told her, He kissed her forehead and Kate closed her eyes slowly drifting off to sleep.

* * *

"You're early" Taylor said the next morning as it wasn't even 8:30am an Evan was at his door step. He opened it wider letting him in. He knew Evan's concern was the welfare of the twins. It was almost insulting that Evan would think Taylor wouldn't look after his daughters. He had managed as best he could. The twins had been fitful all night and morning but he kept them warm, dry and fed as best he could and held them both. It wasn't until early this morning they seemed to settle down. He didn't get a wink of sleep but he kept on top of everything.

"I thought I'd drop by and see how you and the girls were faring" Evan said.

"We're fine considering" Taylor told him as he opened the door wider giving Evan access into the house.

"Alicia's still unconscious" Evan said as he came into the house. Taylor closed the door and moved back into the kitchen and poured himself a coffee.

"I know" Taylor said.

"But she had colour and she's stabilised. I spoke with Doc Hastings. He said all Alicia has to do is wake up and we'll know what the real damage is" Evan said as he moved to the play pen where the twins were currently romping around and playing in. He felt relief at seeing the girls were more settled today but he could see they were tired as was Taylor.

"I know, you want a cup of coffee?" Taylor asked.

"Yes, thanks. I also saw Kate and Malcolm this morning, held Caleb for a bit" Evan said, Taylor nodded as he realised that he hadn't gone over for a visit yet. Something he would do after he buried his son.

"How are they?" Taylor asked.

"They are good, Malcolm has become quite possessive of the two" Evan remarked with a wry smile as took the cup of coffee from Taylor.

"I don't blame him, firstborns are the scariest as you have no clue what you're doing and don't want to mess it up" Taylor said quietly as he remembered what it was like. Not that having twins was a breeze it came with its challenges but he did find it easier in some regards.

"Yeah-" Evan stopped as there was a knock at the door. Taylor moved to the door and opened it to find Elisabeth and Jim Shannon.

"You're early" Taylor said.

"It's not 9 am?" Jim asked he looked to Elisabeth who pretended to be just as clueless as him before she checked her comm. unit.

"It's 8:40" Taylor said saving Elisabeth from saying it. She gave a sheepish smile while Jim was unrepentant.

"Oh well, we're here now. Is that fresh coffee I smell?" Jim asked as he came into the house not even waiting for an invitation.

"Help yourself" Taylor told him dryly as he moved out of the way to let them into the house. Elisabeth walked over to the playpen and reached in to play with the twins cooing over them as the woman loved children. Jim poured himself a coffee and sat down at the table.

"So, how did everyone sleep last night?" Jim asked.

"Not well, maybe two hours at most you?" Evan asked between the kids and his work there hadn't been anytime.

"Got a few hours in, I'm glad once we have everything settled and on a schedule" Jim said as he ran a hand over his face.

"I hear you on that" Evan said with a smile as he finished his first cup of coffee for the day and moved to Kitchen to get another.

* * *

"I want to go and see Alicia" Kate said Malcolm as he placed a breakfast tray on the bed next to Caleb so it would sit between Kate and Malcolm. Kate was in day two of 'recovery' and all the pampering was getting to her as she wanted to bounce back and kick butt. Well maybe not be that active but she did want to see Alicia and the rec centre was only a 7 minute walk away from the house. Evan assured her that Alicia was looking better but she wanted to see it for herself.

"Kate, I'm really not comfortable in taking Caleb to the infirmary unless it's absolutely necessary" Malcolm said as he moved his side of the bed and sat down. Caleb swaddled up on the bed next to the breakfast tray he was dozing in and out but when he was awake he looked around taking in everything.

"Well you and he can stay here. It's a 7 minute walk there. I can go after I've fed Ethan and be back before he wakes up for another feed" Kate said to Malcolm as she ate a piece of fruit from the plate on the tray that was laden with pancakes, fruit salad and yogurt. He definitely knew how to spoil her.

"Ok, but I don't want you going alone" Malcolm said to her as he stroked with the soft downy hair on Caleb's head in a soothing manner. He couldn't help but marvel over their son.

"It's a 7 minute walk, what could possibly happen?" Kate asked him incredulously, Malcolm looked up at Kate and gave her a droll look.

"Humour me" Malcolm said dryly. Kate gave a look of submission as she felt it was better to keep him happy as there was no reason to rock the boat over something as insignificant as having someone walk her to the infirmary.

"Fine, Liz said she'd drop by after the staff meeting to do a check up on Ethan. I'll ask her if she can escort me" Kate said.

"Thank you" Malcolm said with a smile.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to talk about this now?" Evan said to Taylor, half an hour into the meeting of department heads Taylor brought up Lucas's involvement and wanting to know what happened. How his son had brought about the destruction to the Colony. Evan didn't feel that the information was pertinent to those at the table but Taylor asked.

"Yes I'm sure" Taylor said. Evan looked at the people around the table and nodded.

"Ok, well from what I've learned. Lucas integrated a virus in the last of the calculations that he gave Dr Wallace and I. I think he was using it to make the connection between his purple computer device and Terra Nova's central computing systems using the Terminus as the wireless link. I don't think the overload and subsequent explosion was done on purpose but just an accident due to whatever he was trying to do" Evan said

"Which was what?" Taylor asked.

"I don't know, the tech person I worked with hypothesised that Lucas was trying to create a blackout to distract main security and open the cell door as there is a 5 second lapse between the door opening due to a blackout and the backup generator kicking in to re lock the door. What he was planning after that besides escaping well who knows." Evan said.

"Ok" Taylor said, he didn't want any secrets about Lucas or his death as he'd rather people knew the truth than draw their own conclusions and start more rumours making Lucas out to be more evil than what they already thought. He turned his attention to Jim.

"I spoke with Baz. He says he's making the infirmary top priority. Dr Hastings had the area cleaned of any bio-hazardous materials yesterday as you know. Baz and a group of workers have already started clearing the area. But it will take awhile before they have a usable space to do the reconstruction." Jim said.

"Ok, I want to clean and convert the Rec centre into a temporary school and have a team deconstruct the cell in the barracks and convert it into a workable Infirmary. Will that work for you Doc?" Taylor asked Elisabeth.

"Yes it will" Elisabeth said in a happy voice as she smiled and jiggled a smiley Ava in her lap. The twins had become fussy and before Taylor could step in Elisabeth and Jim stepped up to the plate. The two were the least professional at the table as they were only half paying attention and the other half playing with the twins keeping them amused. Taylor only minded slightly as he'd rather he was the one playing with the twins than keeping his professional manner of being the Commander and showing he was unaffected by the events.

"Ok, and the Command Centre-" Jim started but Taylor cut him off.

"Is low priority, well set up some space in the secondary labs and I'll have Guzman re route all security feeds to a room there. As for future meetings, Jim you'll be in charge with Guzman as your second. I'm stepping down for a few days as I'm needed here to look after the twins and my wife. I'm sure you all understand" Taylor said to the other department heads. They all nodded and murmured their understanding of his situation.

"Now, the funerals" Taylor stated.

"Yes" Jim said.

"Once all victims have been identified via DNA, have their remains prepared for burial. The families with Preacher's advice can decide on if they want a mass funeral or to keep their lost loved one's burial private" Elisabeth said.

"Alright, I'll talk wit-" Jim stated but Taylor cut him off.

"I'll talk with Preacher. Is there anything else?" Taylor asked, as he saw the message from Hastings on his plex. It was the autopsy report on Lucas.

"I think that's it" Jim said, Taylor looked around the table and everyone looked finished.

"Ok, thank you ladies and gentlemen" Taylor said. He held the door open they all left one by one until Elisabeth and Jim remained.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"We were thinking that we could help you by taking care of the twins for a couple of hours so you could get some rest and go see Alicia" Elisabeth said as she held Ava on her hip. It annoyed him at how everyone was treating him with kid gloves as if he was incapable of doing his own job and the looks of pity they shot his way when they thought he wasn't looking.

"Alicia is still unconscious she won't know if I'm there or not. As for the twins I can manage thank you for the concern but you can go. The colony needs you two at work" He told them as he took Ella from Jim's arms, holding the girl close.

"Ok, but-"

"I will call, if I need anything. Thank you" he told them. Elisabeth and Jim exchanged looks before they nodded. Elisabeth placed Ava into the high chair nearby before she and Jim left. He moved to the second high chair and place Ella in it before placing two bottles of water on each tray and cut a banana into slices into two bowls with blueberries placing them onto the trays as a snack. He then sat down at the table and opened the autopsy report reading the results.


	68. Chapter 68

"You Mister Wallace are just as perfect today as you were yesterday" Elisabeth declared as she picked Caleb up into her arms and cooed at the little boy. She was definitely feeling broody with all the babies being born around her. She had dropped by right after the meeting at Taylor's house.

"Well he had extra time on the inside, learned a thing a two I guess" Kate said in a dramatic tone as she placed three tea cups on the coffee table next to a plate of biscuits.

"You make sound like he was in prison" Elisabeth drawled in a teasing manner. Kate's face lit up in a dramatic fashion as if she just came up with a great idea. Elisabeth prepared herself for Kate's outrageous ideas as she usually wore that face when she was going to be ridiculous at least it was going to be amusing.

"We could draw little baby tattoo on it make him look tough" Kate said excitedly as she sat down on the lounge next to Elisabeth.

"No" Malcolm said as he came over and placed a fresh teapot on the table. He took a seat opposite them, Elisabeth laughed as she held Caleb in her arms.

"Or we could get a family tattoo start our chapter as the first family gang on the east side of the Colony." Kate suggested.

"No" Malcolm said as he poured out the tea into the cups.

"You're no fun" Kate pouted as she picked up a biscuit and took a bite.

"I'm heaps of fun, I just don't like the idea of needles and ink near our son" Malcolm told her. Kate was mid chewing as she narrowed her eyes at Malcolm nodded as if she was giving it thought when Malcolm knew she had a comeback ready but her mouth was full. She swallowed her bite of the biscuit and gestured at him.

"Mmm yeah he might want to become a spy insteand and tattoos would be identifying marker it would be bad considering being a spy is all about being a chameleon" Kate said, Malcolm shook his head at his wife's quick mind and imagination.

"That wasn't my reasoning at all but if it works for you then sure. Our son wants to be Terra Nova's James Bond and tattoos are bad for his career" Malcolm said to her with a smile playing on his lips. He looked to Elisabeth who was chuckling at them.

"Moving on, I told Malcolm I want to see Alicia today. Do you think you could escort me? Malcolm thinks I'm incapable of surviving such a long and arduous journey to the Rec Centre" Kate said to Elisabeth who wore a smile as she felt like she was being put in the middle of something. She looked to Malcolm who opened his mouth to argue with Kate but stopped as his comm. unit beeped. He picked it up from the table and looked at the caller I.D.

"I have to take this" Malcolm said to them, he got up and moved out onto the back veranda to talk. Once the door was closed Elisabeth looked to Kate.

"I don't believe Malcolm thinks you're incapable. I think he's concerned that you're going to push yourself too hard too soon and crash out" Elisabeth told Kate being diplomatic but also honest as Kate needed to know they all knew her. They all knew she would drive herself into the ground to help them.

"I won't, it's a short walk" Kate told her, frankly as she picked up her cup of tea and took a small sip making a face as the tea was still scalding hot.

"I know but I still think a few days more of rest would be good for you. There's no rush and Alicia is going to be fine. She's stabilised, has colour in her skin and will wake up soon" Elisabeth said.

"I still want to see her" Kate stated.

"I know but I need you to rest for a few more days. Alicia will not think any less of you for not visiting her or running around the colony helping everyone. You're allowed to have this time to yourself and your new family" Elisabeth said.

"Ok, but I still want to see Alicia. She's family to me"

"Just a few more days"

"Two" Kate bartered.

"If you want an arbitrary number it'll be three days" Elisabeth told her. Kate looked her head on with an unwavering gaze.

"You and what army are going to stop me?" She asked.

"Just a tiny army of one" Elisabeth said smugly as she held Caleb out to her. Kate took her son into her arms and shook her head as Elisabeth chuckled.

"You're funny" Kate told her sarcastically as she held her son in her arms.

* * *

Taylor finished reading the report Dr Hastings' had sent him and the message attached saying that the body was prepped for transport and that all he had to do was send over a rover and soldiers to pick up the remains.

The remains of his first family, it was like the chapter of that life was finally over and there was no resounding relief from it. All he felt was the burn of failure and guilt at not being able to save Lucas from himself. Ayani had sacrificed herself for Lucas and Taylor had had one job to keep their son alive and make him into a man she would have been proud of but he had failed.

Not only had he failed but he had nearly lost his current family. They were brought into the mess of his previous family and who knew what was going to happen. The twins were fine, a little dehydrated and cranky but nothing some liquids and rest couldn't fix but Alicia was a gambit at the moment. He didn't know for sure how long she had been unconscious and whether she would suffer any brain damage due to the blood loss.

The thought that she would wake up and not be the woman he loved was too much to bear. He had already lost one partner and now it was happening again. He just couldn't sit by and watch as everything he loved fell to pieces. Recriminations came flittering through him of how he probably deserved what he was getting and that he should have never started a relationship with Alicia at all. If he hadn't she would be alive and well, Lucas would still be around and thus his chance of redeeming his son and mending him and their relationship would still exist.

A small snore broke his reverie. He looked up from his plex and over at his daughters whom he had not been paying attention to. Ava was bobbing her head as she was fighting the urge to sleep while Ella was out like a light making soft snores. He remembered Alicia remarking that the little girl was taking after him and his bad habits. Something that would have made him smile on any other day but not today.

Today he needed to find peace and solace, looking at his daughters all he felt was his insides being ripped to shreds with guilt as it was his fault their mother wouldn't be able to hold and comfort them anytime soon because of his son. Because of his failure to save them all from the events, it was the maudlin drama that was his life. He couldn't stand the emotions rolling inside of him and he picked up his comm. and messaged Guzman with orders to pick up his son's remains with a rhino and to have it in the main gate in 15 minutes.

* * *

"Where's Elisabeth?" Malcolm asked as he closed the back door. He had had a lengthy conversation with Evan and several other people in his department about the projects lost in the explosion and the redistribution of space. He wished that some scientists would just give up their project space and not complain. It wasn't like they were being punished and the space was going to be utilised for higher priority functions. He also wished it didn't require face to face communication but apparently it did as no one was recognising Evan's authority as Malcolm had made him temporary head of the science department.

"She went off to work. Everything ok?" Kate asked, as she looked up from the Caleb who was lying on the lounge wriggling his little arms and legs as he was alert and wanting attention. The biscuits were all eaten bar one and tea was consumed though when he took a sip of his, he realised he had been talking for a long time as the tea was stone cold.

"Evan needs my help" Malcolm said as made a face of displeasure at his cold tea, he placed the cup back on the table and moved to sit down on the lounge next to Caleb.

"You need to go" Kate stated as she played with Caleb's feet, moving his legs up and down in slow motions.

"Yes" Malcolm said to her, he was reticent to leave her alone as he felt it was too soon for him. He had planned to have 8 weeks off and spend it with Kate and Caleb but with everything that had happened and his staff not being able to act like adults. He would have to go out.

"Ok" Kate said in a calm manner.

"Do you want me to call and have someone come over?" Malcolm asked. Kate smiled at him.

"No, I'll be fine with our son. I promise we won't leave the house and frankly we both know you'll be back in 15 minutes" Kate said. It was Malcolm's turn to smile at her as she was right. He was planning on being as forceful and succinct as he possibly could be so he could run back home. But he knew it wasn't going to happen.

"Sadly not, I think I will be at least an hour" Malcolm bemoaned as he leaned over and kissed his son on the forehead before he cupped Kate's face and gave her brief kiss. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and then rose from the lounge.

"I understand and if I need you I'll call if there's an emergency like a nappy loaded with a number two" Kate teased him as she lifted Caleb up into her arms. Malcolm chuckled.

"Yes, please do" Malcolm said dryly but he couldn't wipe the smile from his lips. "I'll see you two later" he said.

"Bye, bye" Kate said as she waved Caleb's little hand at Malcolm, he gave a nod and reluctantly left the house. Kate hummed and walked around the room watching Caleb as he gave a hearty little yawn and slowly drifted off. She moved over to his cot and placed him inside drawing a light blanket over his legs to keep him warm when the door opened.

Kate smiled knowing it was Malcolm as she felt his reluctance in leaving and hell she was nervous about being left alone. But when she turned around to greet Malcolm she found Taylor instead, he was carrying the twins and their diaper bag.

"Taylor, are you here to see Cale-" Kate started but Taylor cut her off.

"Sorry, I'm not. I need you to look after the twins for me" Taylor said as he placed the twins on the play mat Kate had on the floor for when the twins visited before he turned to her. The twins were making huffing noises which led directly to crying as Taylor moved away. Kate felt her stress levels rapidly increase as Taylor was placing bottles of milk into her fridge from the diaper bag without even asking or explaining himself first.

"Taylo-"

"I've fed, and changed them. They should be good for a while and there's breast milk in the fridge" He told her as he handed her the diaper bag, Kate was in such a state of shock she took the bag.

"Taylor, I-" She started for the second time but he cut her off yet again.

"Thank you" Taylor said sincerely as he walked out of the house closing the door behind him. Kate's mouth was agape in shock as she stared at the closed door and heard the sound of a rover driving off. She turned around and looked to the twins who were both crying so loudly they set Caleb who started making tiny noises of displeasure.

* * *

"I've made arrangements for the twins and I'm going OTG and won't be back until this afternoon" Taylor told Jim as he tossed his duffel bag into the front passenger seat of the rhino.

"Taylor, now isn't the best time to go OTG" Jim said in a low voice. It wasn't even lunch yet and Taylor had decided he wanted to go OTG with Lucas's body. While he understood Taylor was grieving he felt now was not the time for Taylor to leave the colony.

"I'm burying my son tell me when there will ever be a more suitable time?" Taylor growled at Jim as he was not going to be told what he could and couldn't do. Not now, he knew if he buried his son it would hopefully bring some peace to him.

"A week from now when things have settled down. When the Colony have buried their loved ones" Jim reasoned as he followed Taylor to the driver's side. Jim placed a hand on the closed door in the hopes of stopping Taylor for just a moment so the man could think about what he was doing.

"I can't wait that long and I refuse to told what to do. I've taken a leave of absence from my duties and I'm going to use part of it to put my boy to rest in the ground" Taylor said before he turned and shouted for the main gates to be opened.

"What about Wash?"

"What about her?" Taylor asked Jim, Jim pulled back slightly shocked as the nonchalance Taylor was showing in regards to his wife.

"What am I supposed to tell her if she wakes up while you're gone?" Jim asked as if it wasn't obvious.

"The truth, she'll understand" Taylor said as he yanked the door open, he closed the door with a resounding slam and powered the engine. Jim quickly stepped back as the Rhino teared off out the main gate heading into the Jungle.

* * *

"Where's Taylor going?" Evan asked as he and Malcolm walked over Jim who looked gobsmacked. They hadn't even gotten to their meeting when they figured they'd stop to ask why Taylor had teared out of the colony. Jim turned to face them.

"To bury his son, he said he made arrangements for the twins. He call you?" Jim asked as he pulled out his comm. unit to message his wife. He had a feeling that they would be on twin duty tonight as Evan had two young kids and that was enough for one man to look after alone.

"No" Evan said looking confused as to why Jim would assume Taylor would let him look after the twins. Jim's comm. unit beeped with a call and he held up a finger as if to say 'one second' and he moved away to talk on his comm. unit.

Malcolm felt his comm. buzz in his hand, he lifted the screen and read Kate's name on the screen he smiled and answered.

"Caleb already has a present for me" he said in greeting, the smile slipped from his lips as he heard babies crying in the background. Multiple babies and knew exactly where Taylor had left the twins. He and Evan shared a look and Evan strode over to Jim to bring him in on the loop.

"_No, but Taylor did. Please come home, now"_ She said, he could hear the strain the in her voice.

"On my way" Malcolm told her.

"Found the twins" Jim asked Malcolm.

"Yes, they are with Kate" Malcolm said before he turned on his feet and ran for home. Evan and Jim followed behind him.

When they got there, Malcolm opened the door to the racket of three babies crying. Kate kneeling on the floor with twins in front of her and Caleb in the cot nearby. Normally such a scene would be a little humorous but right now it downright distressing. As if to prove Malcolm's assessment, Kate looked up and they could see she was completely distressed. She was pale, her eyes were wide in slight panic as tears streamed down her face.

"Taylor, he told me to take them and left- I can't get them to stop crying. They aren't hungry and I can't play tag in holding them long enough to get one to stop crying. And I'm crying because of stupid hormones and everyone's crying. What am I supposed to do?" Kate asked, she was completely stressed out and a little disgusted from her lack of control on her emotions, She looked to Malcolm and the men for answers and he gave her a kind smile.

"It's ok, we're here now. You focus on Caleb and yourself. Jim and Evan will look after the twins" he told her, he handed Caleb into Kate's arms. He kissed her temple and then helped her to her feet. He moved her to their bedroom while Jim and Evan took over the care of the twins. He closed the door and Kate sat on the bed cradling Caleb who was slowly settling down in her arms. Malcolm felt a surge of anger at Taylor for having no consideration and he definitely was going to give the man a piece of mind when he returned to the colony.

"I'm sorry" Kate said, she had a dazed look on her face as she tried to make sense of her world.

"It's not your fault" Malcolm told her.

"I know but usually I'm a lot better but he just came in and put the twins on the ground and stocked our fridge with breast milk then walked out the door it was like-"

"Kate, Taylor shouldn't have put you into such a situation until you were ready which is not today but it's alright because Evan and Jim will take the twins" Malcolm said, Kate felt a twinge of annoyance at Malcolm telling her what she was and wasn't capable of. But it was overwhelmed with her gratitude that he had come home swiftly and taking control of the situation.

"But Taylor left them in my care and the milk stores-" Kate started.

"No, he's not abandoning them" Malcolm assured her while silently cursing Taylor for not thinking his plans through. He understood the man was clouded with grief but he could have called a number of people to help him. Obviously he just wanted the fastest route in getting out of the colony with minimal fuss of people trying to persuade him to stay.

"Then why didn't he give me a time frame. Usually he says 'I'll be back in an hour' he didn't say anything but 'take them and there's milk in the fridge'. Did he say something to you?" Kate asked, Malcolm rubbed her back in a soothing manner.

"No, he didn't" Malcolm said to her. He watched as Kate bit her bottom lip trying to work out the mess in her head and keep her emotions in check. He could see she was upset and he didn't blame her as she had just been thrown in the deep end with cement shoes. Caleb squawked and fussed in her arms, Kate gave a sigh as she looked down at her son she knew she was tense and needed to relax.

"Maybe you should take Caleb. I can't get him to settle down" Kate said, her ego had taken quite a blow from not being able to handle three kids at once. Malcolm now wanted to punch Taylor for stripping away Kate's confidence in her abilities with one unthoughtful move.

"No,you keep him. He'll settle down in a moment. Why don't you two lie down and relax? I'll go talk with Evan and Jim for a moment" Malcolm said, Kate closed her eyes for a moment and nodded. He helped her lie down and placed Caleb on his side of the bed. Caleb squirmed and fussed so he un-swaddled him from his cotton blanket. "I'll be back" he told her, she gave a nod before he kissed her for a brief but passionate kiss.

* * *

"I can't believe Taylor did this" Malcolm said in a low voice after he closed the door to the bedroom and moved to where Evan and Jim were.

"He's burying his son" Jim said as he held a now calm Ella, both girls looked calm and relaxed. It seemed all they needed was to be held.

"He couldn't wait? The Colony is still in crisis moment" Evan asked incredulously.

"He felt differently and he said he'd be back by this afternoon. So why don't we all just relax instead of jumping to conclusions" Jim told them as he felt like someone should be batting in Taylor's corner as Evan and Malcolm looked ready to crucify Taylor.

"You know he didn't tell Kate that he was burying Lucas or that he'd be back this afternoon. He said to her to 'take' the twins and stocked up our fridge which she's translated it into him abandoning the twins" Malcolm said, Jim frowned and moved to the fridge opening the door to see there was a good stock of Milk that looked to be thawing out. In fact it more than enough for a couple of days at least. Jim told himself that he was just speculating and they would worry when he wasn't back.

"Damn, no wonder Kate flipped out." Evan said, Malcolm shot him a look "No offence" he added quickly. Malcolm shook his head and looked to Jim.

"How do we want to play this?" Jim asked as he closed the fridge and faced Evan and Malcolm.

"We're all stretched a little thin at the moment. Take turns" Malcolm suggested.

"Ok, how about Evan and I take first shift. I'll see what Liz is up to and maybe she could wrangle a few free hours to help you out. Work for you Malcolm?" Jim suggested as he felt Kate would need a few hours to pull herself together and taking the twins out of the house would be helpful to all parties involved.

"Yes, thank you. Evan, we'll move the meeting back an hour and it'll be in my backyard so we can get it out the way and I'll be close to Kate if she needs me" Malcolm said as he pulled out his comm. and sent a message to his staff about the time and location change.

"That works for me" Evan said he looked to Jim. "We just need to find those baby bags so we can carry these two around with us with minimal fuss" Evan said to Jim.

"Agreed, I know the codes to Taylor's house and while we're over there we'll grab some gear for the twins" Jim said as the plan slowly came together.

"They can nap later in Caleb's crib until Taylor is back" Malcolm added.

"Good, let's go" Jim said to Evan so they could get moving. They both had a lot to do before the day was out.

* * *

Malcolm saw them out and closed the door returning to the bedroom to see Kate was laying on the bed where he left her, she was smiling softly as she traced Caleb's little feet with her index finger.

"Hey, feeling better?" he asked her. She looked over her shoulder at him for a moment and he saw she was relaxed but disappointed in herself.

"I feel like an awful God Mother but yeah I feel better" Kate said with a sigh. He moved to the bed and leaned over her with his lips near her ear.

"Shuffle over" he whispered in her ear. Kate shuffled closer to Caleb and Malcolm kicked off his boots and laid down on his side behind her. He wrapped an arm around her pulling her closer so her back was against his chest. He propped his head up on his elbow and looked at Kate and Caleb enjoying their presence in the moment.

"I am such a mess barely 48 hours into being a mother and I panic and have a major meltdown" Kate said not looking at him.

"I don't want you to beat yourself up about this. You did the right thing in calling me, we are a team and if you're worried about what Alicia will say she'll understand better than anyone else. You helped her out when she panicked with the twins and didn't want Taylor to know. You panicked with the twins, Caleb and the concerns that Taylor had abandoned them. If I were you I'd have called and been in tears as well but my crying would be very manly and reserved British manner" he told her, the joke earned him a smile and a chuckle. He placed a kiss on her neck.

"What's going to happen now?" Kate asked with a sigh as she shifted herself closer to Malcolm. She knew he wasn't angling for sex but just showering her with affection.

"Jim and Evan have the girls, they'll bring them back later for their afternoon nap where Elisabeth and I will be around to help. Taylor will be back in the afternoon, we'll have him stay for dinner and everything will be fine. You know the twins were fine they just needed some human contact, Jim and Evan have it covered. Anyway you only have two arms which are completely reserved for Caleb and yours truly" he said as he gently held her to him, Kate smiled at his possessiveness.

"Where did Taylor go again?" Kate asked.

"I don't know, he just went OTG to bury Lucas" Malcolm told her.

* * *

A few hours later, Taylor placed the last stone on Lucas's grave. It had taken him a while to dig a grave deep enough so no local fauna would dig him up. He then placed Lucas into his resting place covered him in dirt and then placed stones on top in a nice mountain.

He stood back and looked at his work, he was exhausted covered in sweat and dirt. He knew Lucas would have hated it that Taylor outlived him but then Taylor hated the fact he had outlived his first family. He sat down and sighed as he looked around the area taking in the site he had chosen.

He would have buried him on Memorial Field but he felt that people would object and try to destroy whatever headstone Taylor put on the burial. But out here by Snakehead Falls Lucas could rest peacefully without hearing one slur or curse about him.

It also seemed fitting as Snakehead Falls had been the one location where he and Lucas had been connected for years. The carvings on the rocks mocked him as Lucas had managed to do everything he set out except destroy Terra Nova even though the colony was scarred it did survive.

He couldn't say the same for his life. He exhaled slowly and released the emotions he had so vainly tried to control and let them roll out of him. He knew no one would come looking for at least a day so no one would witness the darkness or the pain he felt within.

* * *

"Where is he?" Kate asked exasperated as it was 5 minutes to 6pm and she was pacing the floorboards. There had been no contact from Taylor and she was convinced he had gone off the reservation and wasn't coming back. She had no idea what he was thinking and she needed him to come back.

"He didn't give a time on when he'd return" Malcolm said as he and Elisabeth were making dinner for themselves and the twins who were currently sitting in the high chairs Jim and Evan had brought over. They had had a long afternoon nap and woke up in a better mood.

"It's nearly 6pm in my books it's changed over to evening and it's nearly dark" Kate said to Malcolm.

"He'll come back" Elisabeth assured her.

"What if he doesn't? What if he's been eaten by a dinosaur or something?" Kate said.

"Now you're being a little melodramatic" Malcolm told her, he was pretty sure Kate was going to crash after dinner at the rate she was pacing and expending her energy on wondering where Taylor was and how it was going to affect Alicia and the twins. He felt a pang of annoyance because he wanted this time to be their family time. Their time to be bonding with Caleb instead their house was a thoroughfare for the twins, Evan and his kids, Elisabeth, Jim and Guzman. He wanted their sanctuary back where of soft conversations and laughs and the only loud noises were Caleb's cues when he was hungry or wet.

"Well let me tell you it doesn't take a whole day to bury a body" Kate told them, Malcolm and Elisabeth exchanged looks as they were unsure how to take Kate's comment. "Unless he's decided to did a hole to China" Kate said.

"China doesn't... nevermind" Malcolm said as Kate shot him a look that said she wasn't looking for a geography lesson and a reminder that they lived on a supercontinent and that it would be a couple milienia before the continents broke was significant to note a change in their maps.

"Jim assured me his tracker is still active and Jim said he hasn't moved from his current position. If they were in a dino's stomach then they'd be running around the jungle" Elisabeth offered.

"Ok, but what do we tell Alicia when she wakes up? and what about the twins? Are they staying here or are we moving into Taylor's house so they can have a sound sleep in their own beds?" Kate asked pacing the floor and feeling her stress levels rise. Elisabeth waved a hand catching her attention and Kate stopped to look at her.

"One. Jim and I will take the twins, and two if Alicia wakes up we'll work something out but right now Kate you have to relax" Elisabeth told her.

"I'm doing my best" Kate said with a sigh, she heard Caleb make adorable snuffling noises in his cot and knew if she didn't attend to him right away he'd just become more upset.

"I know, why don't go feed your son and lie down for bit. Dinner is still half an hour away" Elisabeth told her.

"Why do I feel like a child being told to do their homework?" Kate asked before she moved to the portable cot and lifted Caleb into her arms. A smile played on her lips as she held the boy close murmuring words of comfort to the baby assuring he had her attention. She walked into her and Malcolm's bedroom closing the door behind her.

"She has a point" Malcolm said in a low voice as he didn't want Kate overhearing him.

"I'm a parent I sometimes can't help my tone it's second nature" Elisabeth said with a shrug missing the point to which she was referring to. Malcolm smiled and shook his head.

"I meant about Alicia and if she wakes up tonight or in a few days and Taylor still isn't back" Malcolm said as he moved to stir one of the pots.

"We'll tell her he went to bury his son. It's the truth" Elisabeth told him.

"If you leave out the part where he said he'd be back by the afternoon and never returned" Malcolm said.

"He'll be back" Elisabeth assured him as she truly believed as much as Taylor was in grieving for Lucas he was not a man to shirk his responsibilities. Sure he had up and left but everyone was allowed to make mistakes and he would come back.


	69. Chapter 69

Two days later, Alicia stirred awake slowly and opened her eyes taking in the view of the ceiling. She knew immediately that she was in the rec centre because of the ceiling struts and the echo of noise in the large room. She turned her head and looked around at the make shift infirmary of cot beds, patients and medical staff. Her first thoughts were of the twins and Taylor but didn't see them anywhere. Only Guzman was by the right side her cot, she swallowed her disappointment as she had expected Taylor. Guzman, who had been tapping away at plex and stopped to look at her as he sensed her staring at him.

"Wash" He said casually in greeting.

"Guzman, where's Taylor and my girls?" Alicia asked ignoring how dry and raw her throat felt. Guzman lifted his hand signalling someone over before he answered.

"Your daughters are healthy and well" Guzman told her as he put his plex down on the floor giving her his full attention.

"What's the time?" Alicia asked him as she tried to push up in bed but stopped as it felt heavy and sore.

"1400 hours, you've been out for three days" he told her as Dr Hastings came over.

"Lieutenant Washington, welcome back from the dead" Dr Hastings said as he pulled up a stool to her left side.

"Thanks" Alicia said dryly, Hastings pulled out his pen light and turned it on and flashed the light in her eyes.

"How do you feel?" He asked as he checked her pupil reactions and vitals.

"Thirsty" Alicia replied as she blinked at the light. He turned off the pen light and pocketed it.

"Ok, well let's get you elevated" Hastings said, Guzman helped Alicia sit up and she winced at the pain that panged in her back as she rested back on the pillows the men had propped behind her so her chest was elevated. She ate some ice shavings that Guzman was spoon feeding her. She could see he was enjoying the moment as she felt like a child and that annoyed her so much she wanted to take the spoon and stick somewhere painful so he didn't look so smug.

She wondered where Taylor was, she didn't know why but it hurt more to know he wasn't here to greet her than it had been when Lucas stabbed her in the back. She tuned back into what Dr Hastings was saying as he had given her a rundown of what happened to her as if she didn't remember.

Lucas stabbed her in the back, it hurt like hell and she had bled out. Dr Hastings told her how lucky she was as she didn't had a kidney in that area and it was nowhere near her liver the two kill points in the body that led to toxic shock and death within minutes.

"Obviously due to the blood loss we'll need to run through some cognitive exercises to make sure-"

"Parts of my brain didn't die out from the blood loss and low oxygenation. I know the routine just do your tests" Alicia finished for Dr Hastings.

"Ok" Hastings said. He ran through a long list of questions from her full name, birthday to historical facts and common knowledge. He then went through mobility and reflex tests the full drill before a scan on the bio-bed along with a few more tests before he announced "No signs of any damage to your brain tissue or cognitive processes".

"Great, so when can I get out of here?" Alicia asked as she had no desire to lay around a makeshift infirmary. In fact she would prefer to be at home in bed with Taylor and the twins crawling all over them.

"A few more days at least, just to make sure we cross all our t's and dot all the i's" Hastings said, he was about to say more but a nurse called his attention and he excused himself. Alicia looked to Guzman who had stayed with her the whole entire time.

"Not that I don't appreciate the company, but what are you still doing here? And why haven't you called Taylor?" she asked him.

"He's dealing with the funeral arrangements today with the Preacher. He asked not to be disturbed" Guzman said lying through his teeth as Taylor hadn't returned from burying his son. He inwardly made a mental note to not tell Alicia the truth yet. He wanted to go OTG and talk with Taylor hopefully put some sense into the man. But all that didn't stop him from feeling like an asshole as he watched disappointment flicker across her features.

"Right, who's looking after the girls?" Alicia asked.

"Ah your brother and Doc Shannon" Guzman told her as he was pretty sure the twins were with Doc Shannon and Kate. Malcolm was getting his department back on track instead of squabbling about office space. Guzman knew Alicia wouldn't like that as he remembered her telling Kate that she was going to let Malcolm and Kate have their little bubble of 'family bonding' for a couple of weeks before they started having play dates with their kids. He inwardly mused at how he never thought he'd see Alicia having kids or saying 'play dates' and it not being a sarcastic joke.

"How's Tasha?" Alicia asked making conversation, she also wanted to show she wasn't as self centre as she felt as all she could think about how Taylor was not there. How his absence stung and the added fact he wasn't even looking after twins as a viable excuse.

"Fine, she and her friends are helping with clean up for underage drinking" Guzman told her.

"Kids" Alicia muttered. Guzman gave a smile.

"Yeah, should of kept her locked up until she was 30" Guzman said thoughtfully.

"Still could." Alicia told him at that Guzman gave a laugh.

"Yeah except she has friends who could break her out and apparently there are some pesky laws about keeping family members hostage" Guzman said with a shrug, Alicia mustered a smile at his joke.

"Hey, why don't I call your brother and Jim. Make them drop by with the twins bring them for a visit?" Guzman suggested, he could see the woman needed more cheering than his two meagre jokes could do.

"No they should be napping right now but if you could call Taylor I'd like to see him" Alicia said. She didn't want to disturb her children's daily routine anymore than it had been three days ago. She watched as Guzman looked pensive as if he had something on his mind.

"Guz, you got a secret you want to tell me?" Alicia asked him.

"Many but none I want to share right now" Guzman told her with a faint smile playing on his lips. He felt the words he wanted to say were lodged in his throat. He felt conflicted in who he was supposed to be loyal to. Should he tell Alicia the truth or keep Taylor's absence a secret before had a chance to decide his comm. unit buzzed and he gave Alicia closed lip smile. "Duty calls, rest easy Wash" he told her.

"Yeah, I'll do my best" Alicia said.

* * *

"Kate" Malcolm murmured softly in Kate's ear, she was in their bed having a mid afternoon nap. He saw that Caleb was sleeping in his portable cot by the bed. He was half tempted to join them in a nap himself but settled for crawling into bed with his wife and holding her close from behind.

"Mmm" Kate said slowly waking up, she turned around in his arms and sighed as she pressed her face into his neck.

"I have good news" he told her.

"Mmm" Kate murmured.

"Are you awake?" He asked.

"Mmmhmm" Kate murmured, he chuckled as Kate's leg snaked over his hip and she snuggled closer to him.

"Alicia woke up" he told her as he brushed a hand down the back of her head, enjoying the softness of her hair. Kate's eyes snapped open at the news and lifted her head and looked at him.

"When?" She asked.

"Today, an hour ago they are running tests but apparently everything looks good. She is going to make a full recovery" Malcolm told Kate.

"I should go see her" Kate said, she tried to push herself up and out of bed but Malcolm pulled her in tight against him

"Ah no visitors until tomorrow. She needs to rest and Liz said you had to rest for at least three days yourself and it's only been two" He reminded her. Kate gave an aggravated sigh as she went limp in his arms.

"You two are mean" Kate said with a pout. Malcolm pulled the light cotton blanket and sheet that Kate had thrown off herself to get up and wrapped it back around her getting her comfortable again but also not letting her go.

"Yes, we are very cruel people" He said mocking as he kissed her forehead before she resumed her previous position curled at his side with her head on his shoulder. He ran a hand down her back in a soothing manner.

"Uhuh" Kate said in agreement as she snuggled in closer to him.

"Yes, I'll try to be kinder which means no massages and let you do all the cooking and cleaning etc. right?" He asked, a smile playing on his lips.

"Don't you dare. I'm a hungry and sore milk bar for our baby. I need you to feed and massage me, it's one of the many favourite parts of my day and do all that other stuff. It's all appreciated" Kate said as she nuzzled his neck.

"Good the massages are of my favourite parts too" he told her, Kate chucked and Malcolm placed a gentle kiss on her bare shoulder.

"You just like copping a feel" She said teasingly, she closed her eyes allowing her exhaustion to roll over her. She wasn't sour in her thoughts in fact she loved her new role as mother. She was kind of expecting herself to sink into some doom gloom postpartum but she felt fine, happy. She did feel tired and muscle fatigue but it wasn't a negative just a fact. She was also experience mood swings that made her PMS days look like a walk in the park but she was able to control them for most part. She was angry at Carter and Mira, she was angry at Taylor but also worried. It was not like him to up and leave like he had but there was nothing she could do.

"Definitely" he murmured, Kate laughed as his hand moved slowly across the curve of her ass and up her thigh to prove his point. "Shh Caleb is sleeping and you should be too. I hear newborns are very demanding" he told her as he continued moving his hands in soothing and relaxing motions. It was nirvana to her sore muscles as it lulled her into a sleepy state.

"Mmm doesn't sound like a bad idea at all" Kate told him in a sleepy voice.

* * *

Taylor swung around from the fire he'd been stoking with gun raised as he heard the movement and figured it best to pull his gun in case it was a less than friendly creature. When he turned he saw Guzman come out of the vegetation he was dressed in green BDU's with a kevlar vest and an sonic rifle clipped to his chest. It hung loose, as he came out with hands up in surrender.

"Guzman" Taylor said, he holstered his gun not taking his eyes off Guzman.

"Sir" Guzman said casually in greeting as if they had just walked into one another instead of Guzman tracking him for a solid two hours on foot.

"What are you doing out here?" Taylor asked he didn't bother asking how the man found him as he had trained Guzman. The man had picked up on Taylor's faint tracks and found him.

"I thought I'd inform you that your daughters are well and a little a cranky and your wife is awake. Doc Hastings confirmed she has no brain damage or memory loss. She's asking where you are" Guzman said as he rested his hands on the butt of his gun that was clipped to his vest.

"Didn't anyone tell her that I'm here?" Taylor asked as he stoked the small fire in front of him.

"We all assumed that you'd be back in the Colony two days are you doing out here?" Guzman asked.

"I'm communing with nature. What do you think I'm doing?" Taylor asked him in a scathing tone.

"Permissions to speak freely?" Guzman asked.

"When has not having permission ever stopped you?" Taylor grumbled.

"I think you've gone off the reservation and I'm wondering if you're coming back at all not when. So why don't you save me some time and just tell me you're not coming back. That way I can inform everyone and we can sort out a schedule to help your wife get back on her feet." Guzman said, Taylor's hands tightened into fists annoyed as Guzman made his feel like a petulant teenager.

"It's been less than three days" Taylor said.

"Less than three days with no communication. You took off your tags and left them at Snakehead Falls with the Rhino then trailed into the jungle. Tell me do those actions speak of a man coming back to the Colony to look after his family?" Guzman asked.

"I need a break" Taylor said like he even had to explain himself to the man but he did.

"And you think now of all times is the best to leave?" Guzman asked by his tone Taylor could tell Guzman didn't approve of Taylor's actions.

"When you're a Commander, you'll learn that there is no good time to leave. Sometimes it's just better to go-"

"Before consulting anyone?" Guzman asked cutting him off again.

"You bucking for a court martial for insubordination?" Taylor asked.

"If you're not coming back then technically I'm not being insubordinate as you're currently AWOL" Guzman told him.

"That so?" Taylor asked dryly.

"Yes, you left without authorisation or handing your station over to a soldier of equal rank. You claimed you'd be back in less than 12 hours and have been gone for nearly 72. You went radio silent and left your tags at Snakehead falls and trekked into the Jungle. Judging by the tracks at least a day and half ago." Guzman told him.

"I-" Taylor started but Guzman cut him off again something Taylor found aggravating as not many people interrupted him.

"Sir, I get we all grieve in our own way but some heads up would have been nice. Hell it only took one call and we'd give you your space and time. Sure Wash wouldn't understand but that's between you and her." Guzman said, he looked away for a moment taking a breather before looking back at Taylor.

"I know what you're going through. The circumstances maybe slightly different but I've lost my son and wife. I know everything you're thinking. The loss of never knowing him, of thinking about what kind of man he could have been and how if only you had picked up the early signs of trouble. Every conceivable thought I've had them and they still plague me" Guzman said in a deadened tone. Taylor dropped his head as Guzman was definitely the authority on the subject since he lost his wife and unborn son to Sincyllic fever.

"I'll admit I lost my way into a bottle and not a Jungle for three days but Wash was the one who kicked my ass into shape before it became a real problem and reminded me that I had Tasha to think of. Someone had to look after her and wallowing in my grief and ignoring my kid because of my pain was not doing her any good" Guzman told him.

"If I remember rightly, you and Alicia turned up to PT reeking of booze and spent most of the morning run stopping to spew up your guts and then you passed out" Taylor said.

"Yeah and it was disgraceful. I was drunk under a table by a slip of woman and then outrun by her the next day but I learned, cleaned up my act" Guzman said with a wry smile before he grew serious again. "You're not the kind of man to drop his responsibilities and high tail it. Are you coming back? If not I'd rather tell Wash now than watch her sit around with hope and your kids deserve better" Guzman said in a serious manner. He was wondering what they were going to do if his ploy of 'make Taylor feel like he was less than the honourable man he was so he would shape up and come back' didn't work. From how he was doing Guzman knew he was failing as Taylor would have taken a swing at him by now.

He really didn't want to tell Alicia that Taylor decided to go off the reservation and wouldn't come back. He knew Alicia would be crushed and would take it personally. He'd rather be the hero and bring Taylor back than be the bearer of bad news.

"I don't know how long I'll be. I have a lot to think about" Taylor said.

"Fine, I left your bike at Snakehead falls covered up. I'm taking the Rhino back to colony. Shannon would like you to check in every second day so we know you aren't dead" Guzman told him, he waited a few beats for Taylor to say something, to throw an order at him but he said nothing. Instead the man just went back to stoking his fire.

Guzman pressed his lips into a fine line taking Taylor's silence as a dismissal and turned on his feet and headed back into the jungle.

* * *

The following morning,

"So are we going to tell her?" Kate asked Jim as she sat the twins in her lap in the passenger seat of the Rover. She felt like an idiot as they were barely doing 5km an hour. She could walk faster but Malcolm and Jim both actually agreed on something together and refused to let her waste energy walking.

"I don't know" Jim said. as he pulled to rover to a stop and put on the handbrake getting out of the rover and going to her side.

"We have to tell her, you said Guzman had no luck in bringing Taylor back" Kate said.

"Tell me would you want to know?" Jim asked.

"Ah gee let me think about this. Spend my months foolishly hoping he'll come back while we all know it won't happen or know right away and not look like a complete idiot as well as being broken hearted. It's a tough one but I'd like the truth no matter how hard" Kate said in an annoyed tone as she got out of the rover with Ava on her hip. Her muscles complained at her moving around but not as bad as they had four days ago.

"You ok?" Jim asked Kate as he felt the waves of anger and annoyance roll off her. He knew it was probably the worst question to ask but then Kate's anger spells usually ran out of steam quickly once she just said what was annoying her.

"No, I'm currently compiling a list of people I want to punch. Carter and Taylor are tied in at number one" Kate said.

"Who's second?" Jim asked out of curiosity.

"Doctor Haynes, can you believe she had the nerve to come to my house?" Kate asked him.

"Wasn't it a meeting?" Jim asked out of curiosity.

"Hey, 30 scientists were able to go around the side of the house but no she thinks just cause a few months have passed she can tramp through my house and pick my baby up without permission." Kate said as they moved into the rec centre and towards the curtained off section for the infirmary. A few seconds later they spotted Alicia lying in the cot staring at the ceiling. She didn't look happy, in fact she looked incredibly sad but Ella and Ava squealed in delight at seeing their mother. Alicia's eyes snapped to them and a smile slowly spread across her lips.

"Hello" Kate said as she walked over to Alicia's bed she groaned as she placed Ava on top of Alicia before even asking if it was ok. But Alicia didn't complain as she hugged Ava to her chest and kissed the tiny girls face. She looked to Kate who plonked herself down on a chair looking exhausted and a little angry.

"Hey, you look angry" Alicia said.

"Haynes came to my house and picked up my baby without permission. Seriously two psychotic killers, a bad storm and an explosion. This woman survives all of them completely unscathed" Kate grumbled.

"Kate" Jim said looking slightly scandalized at how inappropiate her comment was. Alicia on the other hand could understand Kate's anger. Haynes had been giving them a wide berth for months.

"The only silver outlining of the whole event was that I have just put him down to get the door. So when she picked him up, he gave a super spew all over her nice shirt. She won't be dropping by anytime soon" Kate said with a smug smile.

"Is Caleb alright?" Alicia asked.

"Yeah this was yesterday. He had his spew, I bathed him then he had a nice nap and woke up hungry half an hour later. He is a hungry little guy" Kate said with a smile. Alicia smiled and Jim smiled as well but shook his head at Kate.

"So how you going?" Kate asked her.

"Alright, better now that these two are here." Alicia said smiling at her daughters. They looked healthy and happy. She looked to Kate "You on the other hand look like hell" Alicia joked, the anger that had marred Kate's features had seeped out but she could see Kate was tired and by how she kept shifting on the stool by her cot was probably suffering sore muscles among other sore parts. But Alicia appreciated her coming to visit.

"Yeah so do you, what's your excuse?" Kate asked with a smile on her lips, not insulted at all.

"I was stabbed in the back, I lost a lot of blood and nearly died. Yours?" Alicia asked in a mockingly terse tone.

"I pushed 3 kilos of baby out of my special place and now my boobs have become leaky milk taps for said baby. You didn't tell me about how sore and tired I would be. I felt quite shocked and unprepared" Kate said in such a serious manner Alicia couldn't keep a straight face and burst out laughing, she immediately groaned as her back complained the motion. Jim looked incredibly uncomfortable as he took a seat on the other side of Alicia's cot and gently laid Ella down on Alicia's only free side. It was a warming sight to the two little girls relax and lay with their mother on the bed.

"Well you didn't ask and I had a c-section. It was different for me" Alicia said, Jim made a noise of discomfort and the women looked to him.

"Please tell me I'm not going to be sitting in a mother's group of horror stories" Jim said to them.

"Speaking of, where's your little horror story?" Alicia asked Kate, the redhead smiled softly.

"with Malcolm being an absolute treasure while my husband is probably counting down the minutes until my return" Kate told her in a sweet tone that conflicted with a roll of her eyes. Alicia was a little confused and looked to Jim for help.

"Malcolm is concerned about Kate's welfare. The first few days are rough and exhausting for everyone involved" Jim explained. Alicia was a little amused as she could just imagine how Malcolm was acting. It gnawed at her a little that her own husband was still missing in action.

"I know and I'm feeling it" Kate said with a sigh as she wished Terra Novan furniture had more supportive backs as she really needed to recline back. "But I also wanted to see Alicia and I fed Caleb before I left." Kate added with a dismissive wave as if it was enough to give her free pass as she had fufilled her motherly duty for the next half an hour or more.

"Where's Taylor?" Alicia asked watched as the two exchanged looks for a moment as if having some kind of telepathic conversation she wasn't privvy to before Kate spoke.

"Taylor left the colony to bury Lucas" she said.

"Oh" Alicia said her face falling as she should have expected him to bury his son but she wondered why she was on the outside. No she really didn't need to wonder, she was the one who killed his son and now he had to bury Lucas and deal with the emotions that came with surviving his first family and wife.

"He'll be back" Kate assured her.

"Yeah" Alicia said, she tried to muster a more positive attitude as she repositioned Ava and Ella on her chest. She found holding the little girls feeling their warmth and presence comforting. Kate gave her a sympathetic look as Alicia felt like Kate knew exactly what she was thinking. She hated how the woman could read her so well where others failed.

"So how long are you going to be kicking it in here?" Kate asked changing the topic so Alicia couldn't dwell on Taylor not being there. It was a shame Kate couldn't just stay with her until Taylor did come back.

"A few more days. Hey Shannon, thanks for looking after the twins for me. I know it's not easy having a full house" Alicia said as she remember Guzman saying the twins were staying at Shannon's house. She didn't know that Jim and Elisabeth had been taking turns spending the night over at Alicia's home so the twins slept in their own cribs.

"No problem" Jim said letting Alicia keep her assumptions.

"It's like a trial run for when they have more babies" Kate teased with a mischievous grin.

"Oh no, three is enough" Jim said laughing as he had his hands full with the three he had he couldn't imagine adding more to the mix. Though on one hand he could be swayed to have another but maybe after Josh moved out as they didn't really have enough money or space to have another kid in the house.

"I don't know, your wife is rather broody" Alicia commented lightly as she and Kate enjoyed ribbing Jim about babies.

"Speaking of your wife she's coming over here" Kate drawled, she put on a bright smile as Elisabeth came over to the group.

"Hello, I see we have some visitors" Elisabeth remarked warmly as she stood at the end of the cot with her hands in her lab coat pockets.

"Yes" Alicia said, she felt like the only thing missing was Taylor and her good mood dulled slightly.

"Well I hate to break up a party but Kate could I borrow you for a quick scan?" Elisabeth asked.

"Sure" Kate said getting up, "Hey I was wondering when do my guts drop?" Kate asked in an casual manner. Everyone looked at her for a moment wondering if she was being serious or just messing with them.

"Excuse me?" Elisabeth asked wanting to clarify that there wasn't some 21st -22nd century miscommunication as Kate did have many colloqualisms and phrases she had never heard spoken in her time.

"Well when Caleb was in there everything was all pushed and smooshed up and I was wondering when they'd all go back into place as I'm not game to go poking around yet" Kate said, Elisabeth looked part amused and part bewildered as no one had ever asked her such an odd question. She guessd it was that the answer was pretty obvious.

"Ah, your insides would have settled back into their old place once your uterus contracted" Elisabeth answered as she tried not laugh as Kate nodded thoughtfully as she took the information in.

"Ok" Kate said.

"Any other questions?" Elisabeth asked she felt like she was in Zoe's class on career day again as the question was right up there with 'Do you

"Yes but I don't want to scar Jim, he has a very delicate disposition" Kate said as she followed Elisabeth to the Bio bed that was against the far wall. Well away from Jim and Alicia. Jim shook his head at the 'delicate disposition' comment while Alicia chuckled.

"She's been really odd these last few days" Jim remarked with a smile as Kate and Elisabeth were out of hearing range.

"Kate was odd before her hormones were thrown out of whack" Alicia quipped, it was one of the things she liked about Kate.

"You have a point" Jim said

"So how long are you and the twins staying?" Alicia asked.

"Well Kate will have to go home in half an hour but by the looks of her it might be sooner. But I figured I'd stick around with the twins for a couple of hours or more depends on if you three behave otherwise I'll have to break up the party" Jim joked. Alicia gave him a closed lip smile before turning her attention to the twins. Normally they were little rompers wanting to belly roll all over the place but right now they were just content to lie with her on the cot.

* * *

"I hate to admit but this is nice" Kate said as Malcolm and her had their house to themselves with little Caleb.

The twins were still with Alicia thus there had been no change of shifts or entertaining the twins as well as looking after Caleb. No one coming and going from the house every few hours. They had even recieved a message from Jim saying the twins were staying with Alicia and then he would take them back to the Taylor's house for the night.

"Hmm agreed" Malcolm said, they were reclining on the lounge. Malcolm was looking over reports on his plex while Kate was lying down with her legs over his lap. She had been dozing on and off but otherwise just content to lay about and watch Caleb in his cot. There was something rather enjoyable about the domesticity their life had at the moment. Of course it was probably only seconds away from going to hell in an handbasket but right now it was peaceful.

"Hey, do we have any Japchae leftover in that fridge of ours?" Kate asked him, making conversation but also feeling a little hungry.

"Possibly" Malcolm said as he scrolled down to the next page of his plex.

"I think we should have it for dinner. I'm craving noodles and soy sauce like crazy and scones with tea, jam and cream. Not all at the same time though" Kate said, Malcolm smiled at Kate's idle tone as he continued to read.

"I also think we need a TV, just up on that far wall. It would be good and then we can watch movies" Kate added.

"TV's don't exist here" Malcolm told her.

"Ok a really big plex screen" Kate said dramatically as she stretched her arms out wide to demonstrate the size she wanted.

"Sadly all the plex screens are currently taken. I also don't think we need a plex screen anyway there are heaps of things we can do to entertain ourselves" Malcolm said.

"Really?" Kate asked.

"Yes" he told her.

"Ok then entertain me" Kate told him, Malcolm placed his plex on the coffee table and turned his attention to Kate.

"What would you like? A massage? Food?" He asked.

"Surprise me" Kate told him. Malcolm smiled as he pulled her up into his arms and settled her in his lap. They locked eyes for a moment enjoying the anticipation before the kiss. Kate knew she should be frustrated at not taking things further than kissing but considering she was still recovering, she was content to keep everything slow and above clothing for the requisite 6 weeks.

Malcolm leaned in closing the gap between their lips. He kissed her, slow and passionately as he didn't want to overwhelm her or start something he couldn't finish.

* * *

Late at night that same day, Taylor opened the door to his home and was surprised to see Jim crashed on his couch and hear the soft sounds of the twins sleeping. He closed the door and the lock clicked behind him. The noise was soft but loud enough to wake Jim up, he sat up looking at Taylor in surprise.

"Taylor" Jim said, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked at Taylor.

"Shannon" Taylor said as he dropped his duffel bag on the floor.

"You're back." Jim said. Taylor nodded, after Guzman had left him yesterday he had started hiking and every step he took the angrier he became with himself. Guzman's words and casual dress down of his character gnawed at Taylor. He decided in the end if he was going to be angry he'd at least be productive about it and use the energy to rebuild the colony and not have his reputation ruined because he needed to get himself squared away. He also knew that he wasn't ready to abandon his children or Alicia and if he disappeared into the jungle for any longer she would shut him out. So he hiked back to the Colony and surprised the Nightwatch and Guzman when he walked through the field to the main gate.

"I have responsibilities here that could no longer be ignored. You mind sticking around while I wash up?" Taylor asked, as he needed to shower. He would then sit down and get up to speed with the colony's repairs take a short sleep before visiting Alicia with the twins. He knew it was a coward's move to use their children as a buffer but he just wasn't sure how he or Alicia would react to one another considering what had happened.

"No, go ahead" Jim said as he got up from the couch and stretching his arms. Taylor nodded and disappeared into the bathroom, Jim gave a smile as he was going to be sleeping with wife tonight in the comfort of their bed instead of sleeping on Taylor's couch.

* * *

TBC- Thank you for the Reviews and Cya all soon!


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